Attractions
by Agneza
Summary: Warning: This will contain Yaoi. You've been warned. Set around Crisis Core, it mainly focuses around the pairing of Cloud and Zack and their secret relationship. Also focuses around Reno and his attraction towards Sephiroth. Contains sex and romance.
1. Feelings

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~Re-edited~_

This is a fic dedicated to Cloud & Zack from Final Fantasy VII.  
>It will mainly involve around those two, but will also include Reno &amp; Sephiroth's 'strange' relationship.<p>

Main Characters: Zack, Cloud, Reno & Sephiroth.

It will contained Yaoi - it will be perverted and dirty and somewhat humorous.

Enjoy?

Chapter One: Feelings

* * *

><p>Zack had to snap out of it.<p>

He had been crushing on the infantry man for long enough now. Something that had started off as a little... _curiosity _had turned into a full blown obsession. The only thing that ever occupied his thoughts nowadays was the image of Cloud Strife beautifully naked. Of course, Shinra frowned upon such relationships. The men were just expected to share bunks together and never once get a little tempted. The punishment for same sex relationships in the company was anything but nice.

_Oh how mad we must be to get a little frustrated!_

Zack let out a loud sigh and excruciating sigh. They certainly hadn't mentioned this drama in the Shinra criteria. Why did he have to be developing a pathetic crush on Cloud of all people? The guy clearly wasn't interested and even if he was, it would only end in disaster.

_Disaster meaning I'd be fired..._

Maintaining a good relationship with the lower class Soldier's and Infantry Men was incredibly important to Zack. He wanted everyone to like him and vice versa. But lusting after one of them? Thinking about him every time he showered or touched himself? That was insane. Even if he was the cutest thing he had ever –

_Can't be thinking like that!_

Zack had even started buying stupid magazines and renting unholy films to keep himself satisfied. His work kept him preoccupied for long enough, but it never quite filled the gap that he himself had created. Oh, what would his mother say? But he had to do some out of character things once in a while...

Anything to keep Cloud off his mind...

Zack found the frustration too much to bear; shaking his head and groaning in irritation. It was relieving to let his anger out in some way – even if it may be childish. That small noise slowly turned into a piercing roar; causing the entire floor of men to gaze questionably at him. He hadn't even realised how loud he'd been moaning...

_Better quieten myself down..._

It was too late though. Someone commented before he had the chance.

"That what you do in the bedroom, Fair?" came from behind him.

_Oh no..._

Zack urgently forced the embarrassment away; turning slowly and excruciatingly to the figure behind him. He was greeted by a sickening smell of smoke and a smug, satisfied grin.

_Reno._

"Surprised you remember what that is!" Zack laughed, slapping his friend playfully on the back. "How longs it been since you had some Reno? Two months? Three?"

The red head glared at the now amused Soldier and began frantically digging in his pockets for another smoke. "Been shorter than your time, yo."

Zack drooped his head ashamedly.

He hated to admit it... but Reno was right. Ever since meeting Cloud; he hadn't been able to look at any one else romantically- male or female.

Zack hated to label himself. He wasn't sure what he was.

However what he _did _know was right there – right then ... he wanted Cloud.

So _so_ bad.

_Damn you, brain!_

Zack rolled his eyes at Reno, who had without hesitation retrieved another crafty smoke and deliberately began blowing it in Zack's face.

The redhead laughed as he watched the Soldier choke and scrunch his features up at the nasty smell. It amused him to see someone repel so much to cigarettes. Damn, his life was based around them. Who needed sex when you had smokes?

_Obviously you do, yo._

Both men silently cursed at themselves as their brains sent them spiraling down the single-and-not-getting-any route. As much as they hated to admit it, being single and lonely made them utterly miserable. They both wanted someone to be with. Reno just wanted to calm his growing sex drive, which had been affecting his concentration for weeks now. Zack on the other hand, was desperate to wrap his arms around the adorable blonde and whisper things into his ear which would almost definitely make the man blush.

_Can't be getting too excited here..._

"Well, I gotta run," Reno sighed, pulling out yet another smoke.

Zack shook his head disapprovingly. "You won't be a good Turk once you've ruined your lungs."

"Soldier's should stick to the fighting," Reno chortled, throwing Zack his signature grin. "Stay away from the advice, yeah?"

Zack happily waved to Reno as he watched him depart down the corridor and exit towards the elevator doors.

_What's he doing on this floor anyway?_

The Soldier shook his head, chucking lightly to himself. He really didn't understand Reno.

Turning away from the amused glances of his friends; Zack slowly began walking towards the training room, totally in the mood for some brutal ass-kicking. He missed fighting. He was sick of just waiting around for something to happen. Things in Shinra had been too calm lately and he didn't like that. He felt like he was wasting time.

Zack turned to go into the training room, raring for some action, ready to relieve some frustration...

... but was stopped.

_Shit!_

Right in front of him, looking goddamn sexy in his uniform, was the guy he was madly lusting after.

The guy he wanted to storm right up to and slam against the wall.

The guy he was...

_...Meant to be avoiding!_

He went to turn back the other way, make a quick and easy run for it, when he heard his named being called out. Zack cursed at himself for having such terrible reactions and forced himself to turn back towards the blonde. Cloud was throwing him an unbelievably sexy smile; causing his body to react in many... _unusual_ ways.

"Hey, Cloud!" he said casually, approaching the blonde with as much calmness as he could muster.

"Zack!" Cloud beamed, removing his helmet to reveal an angelic face. "You going in the training room?"

The Soldier found it oh-so-typical. "Yeah, I am. You?"

"Yeah. Want to train together?"

"Sure," he choked, reluctantly following the blonde into the abandoned room

_Damnit!_

Seeing Cloud get all hot and sweaty was not going to help Zack get over him. It was only going to make his dirty fantasies much worse. It was only going to give him more perverted material to work with.

Zack followed the eager blonde into the beckoning training room; pleading for someone to unexpectedly phone him. That would have been extremely helpful.

_Unlikely though. There have been zero emergencies lately._

The Soldier laughed as Cloud held the door open for him, feeling similar to that of a girl on a hot date. Who held open the door like that in this sort of company? The blonde heard his random outburst and stared at the man - puzzled. He didn't get it. Poor boy was just being courteous and holding open the door for a friend. His mind wasn't focusing on the more dirty and inappropriate thoughts.

Zack held his hand up. "Forget it Cloud, just me being stupid."

Cloud's nervous expression quickly turned into a warm one. He turned away from Zack and headed towards the center of the room.

_Phew..._

Picking up a medium weight sword; Cloud skilfully began swirling it round his body. The sight was certainly an appetizing one. Zack admired how amazing and natural he looked with the weapon. He happily stood and watched as the blonde did a few swinging tricks and lazy moves, without even breaking a sweat. Zack knew he could gaze at him all day...

Unfortunately though, Cloud wasn't there to be stared at; which meant Zack had to snap out of dream land and come crashing back down into reality.

"You look good with that sword, "Zack said honestly, joining Cloud in the centre of the room.

The blonde blushed violently. "I don't. You're just being nice to me."

"No way! You look great!" Zack grinned, patting him on the back.

Cloud's blue eyes stared into him. "Really?"

"Really."

They stared at one another for a few moments, both taking in the wonderful, yet slightly embarrassing moment. Cloud hated being given compliments and Zack feared showing the blonde just how much he thought of him.

There was an awkward and painful silence for a few minutes; before the blonde finally lifted his practise sword up from the ground and drew it in front of Zack's stunned face. "What you got, Soldier?"

Zack let out a light chuckle and instantly bought his sword up to meet Cloud's.

_See? Just being friendly towards him._

The two fought playfully for a few minutes, laughing hysterically as the other pretended to be injured or dead. Anyone passing by and watching the two men would have thought that they both had the mentality of twelve year olds.

Zack was pleased that he had made such a close bond with Cloud. After Modeoheim, the two had become scarily close, causing a few jealous glances to come their way. They didn't care though. People could assume that it was favouritism and call their friendship unfair and unhealthy. It was true, Zack did favourite Cloud... but that would never make him rank the blonde above the other men, solely for that fact.

"Woah!"

Without warning, Cloud carelessly swung at the dazed Zack, who hadn't been expecting such a lousy shot. It stunned both men momentarily.

_Oh no..._

The dark haired Soldier flew to the ground; howling madly as he clutched his injured arm. Those blue eyes looked close to tears...

Cloud stayed frozen to the spot.

_Have I hurt him?_

He nervously bent down to his moaning friend, who now had his face scrunched up in pain and his mouth wide open. The blonde's heart began to race as he realized that he might have actually seriously wounded the Soldier.

He placed his hand on Zack's injured arm; pulling up the blood drenched sleeve with care. There was so much blood. It was sickening. Cloud was really expecting a huge, gaping cut...

...Not a tiny scratch.

"Is that it?" he cried, leaping back up as Zack released a loud howl. This time it was laughter.

"Should have seen your face!" he snorted, wiping the tears from underneath his mako infused eyes.

Cloud shot daggers at him. "Was not at all funny, Zack."

The Soldier chuckled lightly to himself.

Zack knew by now that Cloud could easily go off in a strop and be moody with everyone for the rest of the day. He overreacted. Most people found his ever changing temper annoying. Zack however, simply found it cute. No, not just cute...

_... Sexy._

"Sorry, Chocobo," he apologised, drawing the blonde in for a friendly hug.

Cloud resisted at first, struggling pathetically in the strong grip of the 1st class Soldier. It was no use though - the raven-haired man was far too strong. Zack's constant training certainly didn't go to waste. His arms were extremely muscular and powerful.

_Can't get out..._

"Let me go!" Cloud whined, fighting back the giggles as he wriggled in Zack's lap.

"Nope! Not until you forgive me!"

"Zack!" Cloud cried, unable to hold back his laughter. "Stop!"

_Is it healthy for two friends to be in such a position?_

"Fine!" Cloud sighed, finally unhooking himself from Zack's grip. "Apology accepted."

Zack grinned up at him. "Good! Now, where were we?"

Cloud threw his arms to his sides, ready to haul himself up and continue with the training – when he stopped abruptly.

_Oh my..._

His face fell dramatically and his eyes turned dazed and confused.

His blonde brows furrowed in somewhat concern.

Zack didn't get it. Why had he suddenly stopped? Was he now trying to panic Zack and get him back for tricking him? He wasn't too sure.

_What's going on?_

"...Cloud?" he whispered, starting to feel more than slightly concerned. "You okay?"

The blonde unevenly cleared his throat and clumsily struggled to his feet. He seemed shocked. His pale face was even whiter than usual and his blinding blue eyes were wide and animated.

"Talk to me Cloud!" Zack said firmly, struggling up himself and gripping the infantry man's solider.

Cloud's eyes dropped to the floor. "You are, uh... well, I don't know if..."

"You're not making any sense, Chocobo!"

_What's happened to him?_

The blonde embarrassedly moved his eyes down Zack's body; slowly reaching an area that stunned the poor Soldier to silence.

_Is he... looking at my crotch?_

Zack confusedly stared down at the same area - wondering what could possibly be the issue. Was the guy checking his junk out? Was he hinting at something? The thought of it made his heart race; regardless of it being wrong or not. Was this finally the moment for him?

He went to go and make his move – start something that he knew he shouldn't... when he noticed something that caused his heart to stop.

No wonder Cloud was so damn shocked.

_I'm hard._

_Extremely hard._

Zack gaped down in horror at the growing bulge. He rarely found himself unable to contain the 'beast.' It was ridiculously easy to notice. It must have been digging into Cloud whilst he was sat on his lap. If only the ground could swallow him whole...

_Shit!_

"Cloud..." he started, unsure how to explain himself.

The blonde interrupted him mid-sentence. "It's okay Zack, its fine."

"I just haven't had it in a while..." Zack began explaining, nervously scratching the back of his head.

_Stupid habit._

Cloud's deep blue eyes stared into him once more. "So, it wasn't me?"

"No!" he spluttered, almost a little too harshly.

Cloud turned away from him.

Zack couldn't make out whether the blonde looked upset or relieved. Whatever the look was, it wasn't a happy one and it tore the Soldier apart.

"I- I think I'm done for the day," Cloud choked, shakily picking up his discarded helmet.

"Yeah, okay then," Zack replied weakly, placing the practice sword back into its slot.

_Damn..._

-BUZZ-

Zack shot up at the sudden interruption and converted his eyes down towards his trouser pocket. Something inside there was vibrating... his phone...

The Soldier quickly pulled out his ringing mobile and snapped it open without hesitation.

"Yes?"

"Zack," the cold voice replied, sounding deadly serious. "Emergency. My office. Now."

The Soldier groaned. "Yes, Tseng."

_Typical, he rings AFTER I've messed things up._

Placing the phone back into his pocket; Zack painfully turned towards the silent Cloud, who was now clumsily trying to put his helmet back on. The Soldier wanted to help him - stop his desperate struggles... but he knew that wouldn't help the situation at all.

_Kid already thinks you're obsessed with him._

He couldn't believe he'd even contemplated that the blonde had been making a move!

"Well," he said awkwardly, scratching his gel filled hair once more. "I'll see you then?"

"Yeah," Cloud replied, stumbling out of the training room. "Maybe."

_Damn!_

How on earth was he going to solve this?

What had he done?

* * *

><p><strong>Ugh! Reading this back I HATE this... No wonder this barely gets any reviews O.o<strong>

**I guess it's better now it has been edited.**

**For new readers, or even old ones, please review? I'd really appreciate it ^.^**


	2. Suggestions

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~Re-edited~_

This is the chapter where I introduce Reno properly - he's going to become a main character.

Maybe he shouldn't get on the wrong side of Sephiroth...

Is this the start of something big?

Chapter Two: Suggestions

* * *

><p>Reno took a long drag on his smoke and let out a loud sigh.<p>

Damn. The conversation with Zack had really bummed him out and got him questioning himself once again. Why was he single? Why couldn't he get any? And most importantly, how long would he have to wait to finally get some? His only relationship in the past few months had been with his right hand. He threw his finished fag on the floor in anger and stomped on it until it was successfully destroyed.

_Guess it's can't be that bad, if even Zack can't get any._

Reno laughed to himself as he thought of the hilarious scene which had taken place earlier that day. Zack practically screaming in frustration had been hysterical to witness. Whatever could be the reason, though? Reno shook his head and pulled out another smoke. The man had definitely looked saddened at the mention of relationships...

_Maybe Zack has his eye on someone?_

Chuckling to himself; the redhead began running through the various people at Shinra whom Zack could possibly be attracted too. There were many fit women there - he had to admit that. But was he really sure that Zack was interested in the female section of the company? Reno had often caught his friend glancing mysteriously at a few men when out strolling the streets. They hadn't been friendly glances either. Zack had obviously been 'checking them out', whilst trying to cover himself.

_Useless, that. Yo, I'm a Turk after all._

It puzzled him. Why would anyone bang men over women? It just didn't make sense. He couldn't even imagine being felt up by another man.

_Yeah, you could - and you have._

Reno cursed at his inner voice for being so honest and continued to speculate who Zack could possibly be lusting after. There were a hell of a lot of Infantry Men at Shinra. It was impossible to narrow the list down to only a few. But was it even an Infantry man? What if it were a receptionist? A researcher? Maybe even a Turk…

_Could be you, man._

He violently shook the thought out of his head and threw his finished smoke onto the gravel. If it were him that Zack had a crush on - how would he react? They were both good mates n'all... but would he really be able to accept such a thing?

_Wouldn't hurt to test it out._

Reno laughed at himself. It was useless. No matter how much he told himself he didn't like men, he couldn't help but be a little curious. Why not experiment? Not with Zack, of course. Even if it were Reno he fancied; the Turk still wouldn't allow himself to become romantically attached to the guy. Nor would he allow himself to have sex with him. Zack was just his friend and he didn't find him attractive in that way. Well, maybe a little... But who didn't fantasize at least once over Zack Fair?

... Did he find any other men attractive?

"Listen to yourself, yo!" he said out loud to himself. "Turning into a real girl!"

It seemed Zack wasn't the only one that caught unwanted attention when frustrated...

"Why is that, Turk?"

_BUHDSOHWDUHEDHEUDOED!_

Reno felt himself freeze as a deep, almost villainous voice came unexpectedly from behind him. The shock of it stunned him to silence. Why had he said it outloud?

He forced himself to swivel around; nervously waiting to be greeted by a colleague.

His eyes widened as he began to recognize the tall figure in front of him, throwing an amused look at the agitated redhead.

_Sephiroth._

"Shouldn't be listening to other people's conversations, yo," Reno hissed, throwing the silver haired man a venomous look.

The General allow himself to sneer. "How can I not, when you're shouting that loud?"

"Well, I didn't mean to shout, did I?" Reno snapped, already desperate for another cigarette.

_Need to be quitting soon, yo._

"What is making you feel feminine?" Sephiroth asked, curious now as to what the Turk meant.

Reno rolled his eyes. "None of your business! Back off!"

The redhead knew he'd stepped the line.

Before he had chance to apologize; Sephiroth grabbed the Turk aggressively by the arm and yanked him violently against the wall. The sheer force of the action had almost completely decapitated the victimized body part. Reno feared he'd broken something...

Sephiroth positioned his face directly in front of the Turk's; destroying any existing space between the pair of them. Reno watched in fear as the Soldiers eyes turned poisonous - piercing painfully through his own frightened pair. Reno had never seen anyone look so menacing...

Sephiroth gnarling his teeth at him frightened the Turk to death - but at the same time…

_This is a serious turn on._

Reno desperately tried to make his fear win over as the silver haired man tightened his strong grip. He let out a small, desperate yelp as the pain almost became unbearable - in both his crotch and his arm. That expression was too damn sexy - he liked it rough when it came to romance.

"Get off me… yo… killing… me!"

Without hesitation or further argument; Sephiroth abruptly released his grip from Reno and stumbled backwards, lightly brushing himself off as he did so.

_What the flying fuck?_

"Thanks for that!" Reno whined, desperately wrapping his hand round the throbbing arm.

_Fucking kills!_

"I apologise…" Sephiroth said casually, covering up his total bewilderment. He himself did not know why he had reacted so violently.

"Can warn me next time you wanna assault me!" Reno gnarled, hunting in his pockets for another smoke.

Sephiroth shook his head. "How many of those have you engulfed today? Twenty?"

Reno looked up at him - amused. Was he now going to act all casual? After what had just happened? He knew Sephiroth was strange, but sheesh…

"Quite a few," he shrugged, placing the cigarette lazily in his mouth.

"Perhaps too much?" Sephiroth suggested, sounding far too bored to be properly concerned.

Reno laughed and drew another out the packet. "Want one?"

Sephiroth immediately shot him that same, villainous look, momentarily making the Turk tense up and hold his breath. Reno was worried that he might get assaulted again. This time though, he might not be able to control his 'small problem.' Fortunately for him, Sephiroth simply raised his hand in refusal and continued as normal.

"So, why do you feel feminine?" Sephiroth repeated.

Reno dodged the question. "God, you soldier type are all whacko's."

_Nice dodge, idiot!_

"… Excuse me?" Sephiroth said, dramatically lowering his voice.

Lying was the only way out.

"Nothing," Reno lied, shakily lighting up his fifteenth smoke. "Just a thought."

Sephiroth's interest peaked. "What thought is that then, Reno?"

_Wish he'd say my name in different circumstances..._

"Just you and King Zack," Reno blurted out.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "What about Zachary makes you question Soldier?"

"Well, it's just… I…."

"Spit it out," Sephiroth said impatiently.

"I just can't work out who he likes, is all!"

Oh no...

"Zachary likes someone?" Sephiroth asked, almost sounding amused.

Reno shrugged. "Probably. Who knows."

"So, he has not actually told you anything about the matter at hand?"

Reno gazed drearily down at the floor. "I just assumed he did."

"Why?"

"I just assumed that was the reason Zack wasn't getting any!"

_Oh Shit…_

Sephiroth looked puzzled. "Getting any what?"

"Well, er, y'know…" Reno mumbled, cursing at himself for bring it up.

"No I do not know Turk - so explain."

Reno lowered his head in embarassment. "He's not getting anything in the… any…"

_Am I really saying this to Sephiroth?_

"… Sex."

There was a painful silence for a few moments.

Had Reno said that to Sephiroth, of all people? He felt unbelievably stupid now.

_...Moron!_

Reno was far too busy feeling angry with himself to notice that other man had started doing something completely out of character. Far too busy feeling ashamed with himself to notice the other man showing a completely different side of himself. Something, which when finally noticed, made the redheads jaw fall to the floor.

Sephiroth... was laughing.

It wasn't just a small chuckle either - it was a full on howl that deafened the poor Turk.

Reno just stood there; completely astounded at the fact that Sephiroth was actually... joyful.

_The ice king is showing a softer side!_

"Yo, what's so funny?" Reno hissed, annoyed at the man's unsual outburst.

Sephiroth finally gathered himself together. "Is this jealousy I see?" he asked, amused.

_Jealousy?_

"Yo, no way!" Reno choked, completely taken aback by the assumption. "Where d'you get a silly idea like that?"

"You just sounded sour," Sephiroth admitted.

Reno was puzzled. "… I did?"

_But, I'm really not jealous…_

"I got that impression, but perhaps I was wrong," Sephiroth shrugged, uncaring.

Reno scoffed at him. "Yeah, you did. No way am I jealous of Fair."

_Just curious about his orientation. And my own._

The two looked deeply at each other for a while; unsure what to say next. Neither Reno nor Sephiroth had ever made any attempt to socialise with one another before now. They usually tended to blank each other when working. This was weird; really weird, yet somehow quite pleasant.

"So, what is making you feel like a girl?" Sephiroth asked yet again.

"Nothing!" Reno lied, urgently wanting to pull his hair out.

_Stop repeating it!_

"You're being dishonest," Sephiroth said, re-stepping forward towards the worked up Turk.

Reno swallowed loudly. "I am not."

"Dishonest," he repeated, glaring down at the redhead.

Reno could feel himself blushing. He hated being so close to the Soldier. The redead felt embarrassed and small, yet extremely flustered. This strong urge to grab the man by his neck and pull him in for a kiss took over and made his face burn to a ridiculous level.

_Damnit, can he see?_

He could.

"Why are you blushing?" Sephiroth asked.

Reno gasped; offended. "I'm not blushing, yo! Just warm is all!"

"Perhaps this is why you thought you were feminine?" Sephiroth offered, amused by his own hilarity.

"I'm not blushing!" Reno whined, feeling completely and utterly ridiculous.

_Could I possibly have a thing for the general?_

"Fair enough," Sephiroth said coolly, bored now with the conversation.

Reno breathed out a sigh of relief. "Stressing me out man."

"I am?" Sephiroth almost looked pleased with himself.

_You're confusing me more like…_

"Yeah," Reno sighed, gazing drearily up at the ceiling.

_Zack might not be the only fag round here!_

Reno could see that the Soldier was growing a little bored of their conversation now and was desperate for an excuse to leave. The man wasn't even bothering to cover it up. Reno laughed faintly to himself - amused by the General's lack of manners - before pulling out his phone and checking for messages.

_Great, Tseng's called me…_

"Well, I'll be off," Sephiroth said, slowly turning away from the distracted Turk.

Reno glanced up at him. "Uh, cool. Nice to see you.. I guess."

"Has been rather pleasant," Sephiroth admitted.

"Uh, yeah, kinda. Besides you almost killing me."

Sephiroth chuckled. "That was nothing, Turk."

"Well, don't do it again," Reno snarled, throwing the Soldier a pissed look.

_Damnit - I'm gonna set him off again!_

Sephiroth glared at him, agitated once more. "You have no right to order me around."

_Why does he think he's the big boss man?_

"Can do what I like, yo!" Reno snorted.

Sephiroth growled. "I could break you in half, Turk."

_We were getting along two seconds ago!_

"Yo, try it!" Reno laughed, really not thinking about what he was saying.

Sephiroth stepped forward. "Should I?"

This seemed less and less like confrontation and more and more like flirting.

"Yo, don't get too close!" Reno snorted, holding out his hands in self defense. "Don't particularly want to be felt up - I'm not that Angeal bloke!"

"… _I'm not that Angeal bloke!"_

Sephiroth froze.

Reno froze.

_I've just blurted out his biggest secret._

_Shit…_

"…How do you know about that?" Sephiroth whispered, his anger swiftly turning into panic.

Reno shrugged. "Work it out, didn't I?"

_He wasn't supposed to knowI'd discovered his crush..._

"Have you shared this information with anyone else?" the General croaked, swiveling his eyes nervously across the hallway.

Reno shook his head. "Nope."

The soldier's hands were visibly shaking and his usual hard approach had been softened. It scared Reno. The man was usually so strong and powerful. Just being around him made you tense up and become fearful. But now? Reno almost felt as if he were the more dominant one out of the two.

_Shit, this is awkward…_

"Sorry, man," Reno mumbled, not quite sure what to say.

Sephiroth stared blankly at him.

_His eyes look so lost and dark..._

Reno pulled out his phone again. "Gotta c-call Tseng, sorry."

"You do that," Sephiroth said.

The Turk began clumsily dialing his boss's number; relieved that he had some kind of distraction from the uncomfortable moment. As he had predicted, the phone only had one chance to ring before the man impatiently accepted the call.

"Reno," Tseng said coldly.

"What up, boss? Lovely greeting as always."

"It's about time," the Turk hissed, obviously irritated by Reno's lack of organisation.

"Been real busy, yo," Reno lied.

"Doing what?" Tseng asked.

Reno didn't feel the need to explain. "Just things..."

_Screwing everything up?_

The redhead looked awkwardly back up to the General - desperate to see him smiling again - who was now...

_...Gone._

"Shit!" he hissed, panicked by the Soldiers sudden disappearance.

_Where did he go?_

"I hope you are concerned for yourself," Tseng sighed, unaware of Reno's real reason for panic.

Reno momentarily stopped his worrying. "Why?"

"You need to be in my office. Now."

"But I -"

-BEEP-

The phone line went dead.

_Bastard just hung up on me!_

"Well done Reno!" he yelled at himself. "Really done it this time!"

Sephiroth's face had just been too painful to look at.

He'd really hurt him….

Well, that had certainly ruined any chance he may have had with the man!

* * *

><p><strong>I changed quite a bit when editing this chapter... so many mistakes!<strong>

**It's fun writing Reno's POV ^.^**

**Sephiroth is so darn formal all of the time, I realized I hadn't made him quite, "Oh yes, I do like to talk rather intelligently thank you very much."**

**Please review if you can - it'd make my day!**


	3. Realisations

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited~_

Zack and Reno get a little telling off from Tseng...

Little do they know they're both suffering from similar issues. Can they help one another?

Chapter Three: Realizations

* * *

><p>Zack stood clumsily in front of a glaring man - the silence almost killing him.<p>

Neither felt in the mood to make conversation; both waiting impatiently for the late Reno. The only sound that could be heard was the loud clock ticking - mocking them for the silence they had both caused. Usually they could talk effortlessly without a hint of awkwardness, but not today...

Zack was too busy feeling sorry for himself.

Tseng was too busy feeling aggravated.

Fortunately for the Soldier, his little 'issue' had decreased in size due to the painful atmosphere of the man's office. It would have been far too embarrassing to defend himself in front of the already suspicious Tseng. He wasn't at all in the mood for questioning. His mind was too settled on one thing...

_Cloud..._

Finally, after what felt like years of waiting, Reno burst through the door with a strange energy and strolled confidently into the office. It seemed almost feigned and artificial; Zack could tell something was wrong underneath that wide smile. Tseng looked at him with a bitter expression and waited for the redhead to explain his lateness.

He didn't.

"What time do you call this?" Tseng exclaimed, slowly loosing his cool exterior.

Reno rolled his eyes. "I don't know, boss. Haven't checked my watch."

"You're watch isn't what you should be checking!" Tseng growled, pointing fiercely at Reno's pockets.

Reno's eyes widened. "Yo, Tseng – you checking out my junk?"

Zack gaped at his friend in horror, worried that he might set Tseng off again. He had already had to sit and listen to a long lecture before Reno arrived. The head of the Turks could be extremely hard to deal with when angry. The redhead didn't pay any attention though, and continued to act in his usual cocky way.

Big mistake.

"Reno, I can usually I can put up with your terrible attitude," Tseng sighed, furrowing his brows at the Turk. "But not today. Not when we had an important mission."

Reno cocked his head. "Important mission?"

"Yes," Tseng said, highly irritated with the man. "But someone else saw to it."

"Then what's the problem, boss?" Reno asked him, bemused by the urgency in Tseng's voice.

Zack interrupted the pair of them. "The slums was under attack by a gazillion monsters - we were meant to see to it but failed to get here on time."

Reno breathed out a sigh of relief. It wasn't just him who was in the doghouse. Zack had pissed Tseng off too.

"What were you two doing?" Tseng asked them, eyeing the couple carefully.

Zack blushed.

Reno lowered his head.

Tseng held up his hands. "No, don't bother explaining. I don't want to know."

"So we're alright?" Zack asked warily.

"No."

Reno rolled his eyes. "So what's our punishment, yo?"

"You two..." Tseng said slowly, resting his chin on his trembling hands. "Will go into the slums, clear up the mess and check everything is okay. You will spend the entire night patrolling the streets and picking up any clutter."

The two men gaped at him.

"B-but it's my night off tonight!" Reno whined, wounded by Tseng's punishment.

"Can't I do something involving fighting?" Zack added.

Tseng buried his head in his hands. "Just go you two. I've had enough stress for one day."

Without hesitation, the two men bolted furiously towards the door - flinging themselves outside the room. Neither of them liked being punished, nor given a lecture; especially not Reno. The atmosphere had almost killed them.

"Needs to get the stick outta his arse, yo!" Reno snorted, pulling out his hundredth smoke of the day.

Zack shook his head. "You shouldn't smoke so much in the building."

"I know. I'm cutting down."

"Yeah, whatever."

Reno glared at him. "Shut it, you sound just like Sephiroth."

_Oh god..._

"Sephiroth?" Zack choked, shocked by Reno's random outburst. "When did you talk to Sephiroth?"

"Yo, you're not the only one who can talk to him," Reno replied coldly.

Zack laughed, scratching the back of his head. "I know. It's just weird is all. You two don't normally talk."

"I know," Reno said, gazing gloomily to the left of him. "I wish we'd kept it that way..."

Zack was curious as to what had happened between the pair of them, but decided it was best not to interfere. It wasn't his business after all. If either Sephiroth or Reno wanted to tell him, then they would. Not that he counted on the General 'opening up to him' anytime soon...

"Well, I've had a pretty crap day too!" Zack whined, throwing his arms dramatically up in the air. "And now this punishment. What a perfect day!"

Reno smirked at him. "What's the matter? Did your crush turn you down?"

Zack's eyes widened. "H-how did you -"

"I guessed," Reno snickered, taking a long and painful drag on his smoke.

It was too long.

All of a sudden the redhead began coughing uncontrollably, letting out a deep and ill sounding noise which echoed across the empty corridors. His lungs felt as if they were being raped - his head turning light and dizzy. Instead of helping him out, like Reno had been expecting, Zack let out a huge howl of laughter and clutched his tightening stomach. The sight was hilarious! Reno spent so long creating this cool and casual image, which had now been completely and utterly destroyed. It was the wheezing that tickled him most...

"Shut up, yo!" Reno croaked, unable to control his vocal cords.

Zack wiped a few tears from underneath his eyes, surprised at how funny he'd found the scene. He'd needed that laugh. Things had just been too damn grim that day.

"...That..." he gasped, still clutching his stomach in agony. "...Was the funniest thing I've ever seen."

Reno was not impressed. "It wasn't funny, yo! I almost died!"

"I warned you!" Zack reminded him, sticking his tongue out playfully.

The Turk stuck his out in return. "Quiet, Soldier!"

The two men finally gathered themselves up and began happily strolling down the long corridor. Although Reno was still upset about the whole Sephiroth incidence, he decided that it would be best to forget it for a while and sort it out at a better time. Besides, he hardly ever got time to spend with Zack. It was a perfect opportunity to mess around.

_And to find out who he likes!_

Zack was still embarrassed and ashamed about the whole Cloud incident too, but forced himself to block it out of his head and instead concentrate on the dreary mission that he and Reno had been given. It sucked hard and would be extremely draining and dull. At least he had the redhead to keep him company, though.

Although they could see people slowly approaching them, the two men felt no need to look up and see who it was. It wasn't exactly unusual to pass other Shinra members in the corridors. Greeting them felt like too much of a task today. Both were too lazy to do so and were scared in case they locked eyes with the two people they were dreading ever facing again.

Fortunately for Reno, it wasn't Sephiroth.

However, poor Zack was not so lucky.

"Fair!" someone called in front of him, frightening the poor soldier to death.

He looked up worriedly. "Yes?"

"How have you been?" the figure asked, slapping his hand onto Zack's shoulder.

"Kunsel!" he grinned, finally recognising the man. "Good thanks, you?"

"I was good until now," he admitted, throwing the men beside him an apologetic look. "Got to give these grunts a talk. Will be extremely boring."

Zack ran his eyes across the small number of infantry men, who luckily for Kunsel didn't seem too offended by his obvious dislike of the task given to him. He didn't seem to recognise any of them... yet.

"Well, good luck then!" Zack smirked, knowing that the poor man needed it. Kunsel loathed giving speeches. Unlike Zack.

"That helps!" Kunsel said sarcastically, giving his friend one last friendly slap before departing with the other men.

"Almost looks like he has a fan group stalking him," Reno joked.

Zack was about to offer a gag back to the Turk - tease his Soldier friend further - when he noticed something alarming.

_An Infantry Man over there is staring at me._

"Yo!" Reno cried, grabbing Zack's soldiers and playfully shaking him. "Anyone there?"

Zack still couldn't speak.

_That's Cloud..._

"Come on, blondie!" one of the men called, ushering Cloud over to the group.

_Blondie? Is that his nickname?_

"Oh god..." Zack whined, feeling his entire face go bright red with shame.

Reno alternated his glances between the clearly embarrassed Zack and the flustered Infantry man. What the hell was going on?

Zack let out a small yelp as the 'mystery' man began walking towards him. Could this get any worse?

The two locked eyes for a moment, both unsure whether to say anything, before passing each other awkwardly. It seemed to last hours, not seconds...

Reno snorted. "Make it less obvious, yo!"

Zack looked at him with fear in his eyes. "What less obvious?" he choked.

The redhead shook his head, laughing to himself.

_Well, at least I know who Zack likes now!_

* * *

><p><strong>Oh Tseng, chill the hell down you sexy man.<strong>

**I love Reno and Zack's little banter moment - it was fun to write.**

**Blondie? Aww... Cloudy-poo.**

**If you have the time, I would love you forever and possibly shit rainbows if you review ^.^**


	4. Confirmations

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~Re-edited~_

Zack and Reno begin their tiresome mission... But who is that stranger in the distance?

Could things get any worse for them?

Chapter Four: Confirmations

* * *

><p>Cloud Strife released a loud and painful sigh as he flung himself onto the bunk-bed.<p>

It was finally an opportunity to get some much needed rest! He could at last have a few minutes to just sit back and think about what had happened to him earlier.

"Zack got hard over me..."

He violently shook the thought out of his head. No, he didn't know that. Zack clearly said it hadn't been his doing.

Did he mean that, though? Or was he just trying to cover for himself? Cloud hadn't been able to tell whether the man was lying or being truthful. The humiliation on his face had made it difficult to trace for any hints of suspicion. Zack had certainly seemed taken aback when Cloud had suggested the reason for it...

"_So, it wasn't me?"_

"_No!"_

He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that reaction. Zack had said it so disgustedly - as if the mere thought of it made his stomach turn. But his eyes... they had displayed something else too. There hadn't just surprise in those mako-infused beauties.

_There had been guilt..._

Cloud hummed silently to himself. How was he going to sort this? Zack had been like a best friend to him ever since Modeoheim and he really didn't want to break that bond. He idolized Zack and saw him as the man he'd like to be in a few years time. Zack was strong, loyal, friendly and extremely passionate about his job. He was the perfect poster boy for Soldier._._

This was clearly going to change everything, though. When something like that happens...

Cloud found himself blushing at the recollection. It was so big... He didn't mean to sound perverted, but that thing in his crotch had been a _monster. _Surely the man couldn't have got so excited over a grunt like him? It had almost seemed impossible for someone to get that... _hard_ over a little bit of play wrestling.

He tried imagining kissing the man - guilt washing over him as the thought of locking lips flashed inside his head - begging for his attention. It certainly made his stomach heat up and tingle, but was that for good or bad reasons? He felt himself releasing a silent whimper, but was that out of disgust or excitement?

What was he supposed to feel?

Should he have felt total disgust or shock? Well, he certainly felt shock... But did he feel the rest?

There was only one way to sort this and that definitely didn't involve avoiding the man. Cloud was never going to have these questions answered unless he faced his fear. Playing the scene over and over in his head wasn't serving any purpose. At the time he had felt horror, but now after the initial shock had left, so had the initial horror. Had that been just a spur of the moment reaction? Or was he really grossed out by the whole scenario?

He forced himself to walk towards the open door, which had been beckoning him ever since he'd returned to the barracks. His movements were slow and painful. Cloud really didn't want to do it – but he absolutely had too. He was going to find Zack and talk to him; as much as the thought scared him to death. It was the only way he could fix their faulty friendship. It was the only way he could know the truth.

Did Zack... want him?

* * *

><p>"I am <em>so<em> bored, yo!" Reno moaned, gazing at Zack with big, puppy like eyes.

"That won't work with me!" Zack laughed, throwing a similar look back at his whiny friend. "I'm the king of those eyes, see?"

Reno snorted. "Get any closer and people'll think you're flirting."

"Flirting?" Zack grinned, rolling his eyes at the Turk. "Don't get your hopes up, buddy!"

"Hmm," Reno said weakly, suddenly losing interest in the harmless banter.

_I wonder how Sephiroth is doing..._

Zack waved his hand frantically in front of his face. "Anyone home?"

Reno snapped back to life. "Sorry, yo. Just deep in thought."

"What about?" Zack asked, concern spreading across his now serious face. That wasn't the first time the Turk had zoned out...

Reno shrugged in response. "Nothing much, yo."

"Right..." Zack hummed, not at all convinced that it was 'nothing much.'

_I want to ask him what happened with Sephiroth..._

"Anyway!" Reno chirped, suddenly seeming a lot happier. "I'm bored. Entertain me! Make me laugh!"

_He's feigning this cheerfulness..._

"This isn't that bad," Zack lied, feeling just as fed up with the task as Reno. "We could be doing worse things."

Reno cocked his head. "Like what?"

"We could have been stuck in the Shinra building," Zack pointed out a little sadly, thinking back to the awkward encounter with Cloud earlier that day.

"Nothing wrong with that." Reno glanced at Zack knowingly, waiting for his friend to admit to his real issue with the 'Shinra building.'

_Does he not realise that I caught on earlier?_

"Anyway!" Zack said suddenly, enthusiastically throwing his muscular arms up above his head. "Let's get this over and done with, partner!"

Reno turned away, guiltily. No one could call themselves his partner.

_No one besides Rude..._

"I don't think I'll manage," Reno groaned, digging into his pockets for yet another smoke.

Zack rolled his eyes at him. "Smoking won't help, y'know."

"Course it will!" he beamed, still hunting desperately in his pocket... Why couldn't he dig out his smokes?

_Shit..._

Zack saw the Turks eyes widen in disbelief. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Reno agonizingly turned to him, pallid and ghostly, looking as if he'd seen a demon or ghost. His lips were moving in frustration, but no words fell out his mouth. His eyes were large and animated; displaying what Zack could only describe as sheer terror.

"What is it?" Zack said frantically, looking hurriedly around him to see what could possibly be affecting the Turk. There was nothing, however. Only he and Reno were occupying the deserted streets.

Reno muttered something which Zack didn't quite catch.

"Repeat that sentence," Zack said, lowering his voice slightly. Something serious had to be wrong...

"I..." Reno whimpered, still struggling to speak properly.

"What?" Zack cried, placing his hands on the bony shoulders of the Turk. "You what, Reno?"

The redhead finally told him the issue. "I'm out of smokes..."

Zack immediately let him go.

"Is that it?" he yelled, glaring angrily at the distressed Turk.

"What do you mean is that it?" Reno snapped, still hunting in his empty pockets. "I need something to get through the day, yo!"

"I thought you were seriously hurt!" Zack cried, resisting the urge to punch him.

Reno laughed. "Thanks for being concerned! Glad you care so damn much!"

_All because he'd run out of smokes..._

"Flap that Cloud away," Reno groaned, pretending to fan something above Zack's head. "Don't want you pissing down on me when I'm already low."

Zack froze at the mention of –

_He didn't mean that kind of Cloud, moron!_

Zack sighed. He just wanted to fix what had happened earlier.

"Wonder what happened to them," Reno mumbled to himself, running through the possibilities.

He couldn't remember running out of cigarettes. If he had have done, it would have automatically made the Turk drop everything he was doing and take a small trip to the shops. But how did they go missing? He hadn't been around anyone who could steal them. He had only really been around -

..._Sephiroth._

"Damnit!" Reno cursed, tightly clenching his fists to the point where it became painful.

Zack exhaled heavily. "What now?"

"That jerk took them, yo!" Reno hissed, picturing the smug Soldier in his head, waving his cigarettes tauntingly in front of him.

"Who?" Zack asked.

Reno didn't want to get into it. "Doesn't matter, yo. Will just have to do without."

"Won't kill you," Zack grinned, knowing full well that it would.

"Shut up, yo," Reno snarled, desperately trying to ignore the empty feeling in his hands. He was so angry...

Zack tittered. "You're really moody when you can't smoke."

"I am not!" Reno growled, before covering his mouth again. Talk about irony...

_Damnit, he's right! Why is he always right?_

Zack laughed at his red faced friend and continued to scan the streets for any lonesome citizens. It was strange. The slums were usually much more crowded than this. Today however, the streets were deadly silent and the only thing moving besides Zack and Reno was the litter on the floor. It was somewhat haunting.

"Man, monsters messed this place up," Reno sighed, noticing a dark red puddle on the gravel below him.

Zack gawped at it, horrified. "Is that blood?"

Reno nodded. "Yup. A lot of it too. Doesn't look like monster blood, either."

"Innocent people..." Zack murmured, feeling a familiar feeling grow in his stomach. Why did people put others through pain like this?

Reno admired the emotions running through his friend. He was fascinated by how much Zack cared. Couldn't get his head round it, though. His job was his job. It didn't affect him like it did Zack. Then again, they had completely different type of professions. Zack's main job was to kill and protect. It was bound to mess him up.

"Ah, someone's finally out!" Zack pointed out, relieved to see something other than blood.

Reno followed the man's sky blue eyes and found himself staring directly at a blurry figure in the distance. "You know em?" he asked.

Zack shook his head. "No, don't think so."

"Let's keep going then," Reno whined, wanting to get the punishment over and done with.

"_He doesn't look like your usual type out here."_

"_Quite hot, isn't he Zack? Want me to go over there and ask for his number?"_

"_Shut up, man! I don't –"_

"_Yeah, you do. I saw how you were with that cute little blonde."_

"_What do you mean? What cute little blonde?"_

_"Yo, you know that I mean! Earlier when the two of you were -"_

"Zack?"

Both men fell silent at the interruption; looking dumbly up at the figure calling them. They didn't recognise him. Who was he? He obviously knew Zack, though. The kid was frantically waving his arms and running over to the pair of them like a madman.

"Who the hell?" Reno snorted, turning to his friend, amused.

Zack wasn't listening, however.

"Oi, Zack!" Reno shouted, playfully punching his friend in the chest. "Don't ignore me!"

Zack didn't move.

"What's up, yo?" Reno asked, starting to get a little annoyed with the ignoring.

Zack still refused to respond.

Sighing loudly, Reno turned back to the figure, who was only just starting to look a little clearer to him. How had Zack already recognised him? How had the guy already recognized Zack? Either his eyesight was appalling or theirs was just insanely good.

That's when he notice a few features.

_Blonde hair..._

_Bright eyes..._

_Spiky locks..._

_Infantry mMan uniform..._

_Oh god._

"Is that..." Reno started, turning slowly back to the muted Zack. He didn't need to continue, though. He knew exactly what his answer would be.

"I need to go," Zack gulped, nervously backing away from the amused Turk.

"But he'll see you're leaving, yo!" Reno pointed out.

Zack's expression didn't change. "I can't face him yet – I need to work out what to say. How to explain."

And with that he ran off.

_Great, leave me to deal with the kid._

Cloud finally reached the unimpressed redhead and proceeded to take off his helmet. Reno shook his head however and insisted he keep it on.

"I know who you are," Reno announced, folding his arms in a bored manner.

"You do?" Cloud didn't get how the stranger knew him.

"Friend of Zack, yes?" Reno asked, although he already knew the answer to his question.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. Was that him just now?"

The Turk frowned at the question. "Would you believe me if I said no?"

"Probably not," Cloud admitted, glancing over Reno's shoulders and staring into the empty space where Zack had previously fled to.

"Go after him," Reno smiled, placing his hand comfortingly on Cloud's shoulder.

Cloud stiffened at his touch. "Does he want me too?"

"Who cares?" Reno shrugged, desperate to dismiss the kid. "Just get this over with, yo. I don't like a depressed Zack."

"Me neither," Cloud sighed.

Reno decided to push his luck. "What you going to say to him, kid?"

The blondes eyes widened. "What has he told you?"

"Enough," Reno said simply, shrugging his shoulders in a bored manner.

_That confirms it then..._

"I don't know what I'll say," Cloud croaked, staring clumsily down at the floor. "Didn't think that through..."

Reno laughed. "No wonder Zack fancies you. Yer damn cute!"

_Don't like being called cute..._

"Well, I'll see you," Cloud said awkwardly, shifting nervously away from Reno.

"Yeah, bye," Reno said, waving his arms casually in response.

The blonde figure came blurry once more and the Turk found himself automatically biting his lips. He had to admit that was a nice sight to see. Lucky Zack...

Wait a minute...

"Since when did I become such a goddamn man pervert?"

* * *

><p><strong>I originally wrote Cloud's scene waay wrong. He was barely scarred by what happened to him.<strong>

**How would anyone react if their best friend had done that?**

**Oh Reno, you're such a darn pervert... Who knew you had such gay tendencies? ;)**

**Review and I'll personally give you a hug ^.^**


	5. Truths

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited~_

Zack just seems to be running away from his problems... But Cloud's close behind!

Time for a confrontation.

-Smaller chapter this time that leads onto a bigger one.-

Chapter Five: Truths

* * *

><p>Zack stopped after about five minutes of running and allowed himself to have a much deserved break.<p>

He slowly arched his throbbing back; drawing his hands down towards his aching knees. He was out of breath - and that was extremely abnormal for him. The guy was in Soldier; he was supposed to have an outstanding level of fitness! Right now though, he felt like someone who never exercised; never trained for battle. It wasn't just the running that had made him out of breath though, and he was well aware of that fact.

_Cloud..._

The man cursed loudly at himself. It wasn't like him to just run away from dilemmas! Zack had always approached his problems with Angeal and Genesis and faced his fears without second thought. He had also resolved issues with Sephiroth too, which could be exceedingly difficult when the man was in a foul mood. But... he just couldn't seem to face his doubts and solve the current situation – not when it came to Cloud.

_How do I tell the kid that I want him?_

_Without completely driving him away?_

After about five minutes, Zack finally regained his faulty breath and began casually strolling down the unusually empty slums. It was nice for him to finally be alone to gather his thoughts and muse to himself. Thankfully, he wasn't _completely_ unaccompanied. The streets were certainly more quiet and vacant than usual, but there were still a tiny amount of people scattered around him. He liked to be alone - but not utterly alone. The thought frightened him.

Zack gazed nervously at the mobile clutched in his hand; praying that he had no new messages or missed calls. He swallowed hard and clicked onto the phone menu, searching hastily for any alerts. Thankfully, he had none, which allowed his heart rate to slow down once more. He went to put the phone back in his pocket and continue strolling down the streets, when much to his annoyance, his phone began buzzing.

It wasn't a call though. It was a simple text.

_Number: Reno._

_Text: Yo man, where are you? Crazy just running away like that. I'm bored now and I don't know what the hell do with this task. There's no one out and I am definitely not going to be wiping up blood stains. Oh, that kid bumped into me. He's looking for you by the way and he knows you like him. So good luck. _

Zack chuckled at the text. He could just imagine Reno, strolling gloomily down the streets, unsure what to do with himself. The Turk had no friends and no smokes. How would he possibly survive? He also wondered how the conversation between him and Cloud had gone. They certainly didn't seem the type to get along...

_I hope he didn't reveal anything else to Cloud..._

He went to go put his phone back into his pocket, when he heard it buzz violently again. Zack felt panicked once more, knowing that Reno had already text him, which meant the next message was unlikely to be from him. The lid was flicked back up on his flashing mobile and he hesitantly clicked on the new message.

Thankfully, it was the redhead again.

_Number: Reno._

_Text: He's cute by the way. Well done._

Cute? Why did Reno think Cloud was cute?

_Don't get all jealous and protective. He's not yours._

Zack yawned loudly to himself. This was all so crazy and tiring at the same time. He certainly hadn't joined Soldier to have these types of complications flung at him. Angeal had never once warned Zack about the difficulties of facing attractions at the company. Had his mentor ever had these kinds of complications?

_Angeal..._

Thinking of his mentor made him ridiculously gloomy, but happy at the same time. It was hard to explain. Although it had really hurt to be the one to eliminate him, it still made him happy that Angeal had been relieved. He'd been smiling in Zack's arms.

He prayed that somehow, Angeal wasn't dead and somehow he would return to solve the issue of Sephiroth's bad mood.

_Wouldn't solve this problem though!_

Zack groaned. "But the Chocobo's just so damn cute!"

He hadn't meant to say it out loud.

Looking uneasily around him, he noticed a few of the silent night walkers eyeing him up in concern. Must have thought he was insane.

He laughed. The whole situation was devastating, he knew that much. But it was also pretty damn funny too. What would Angeal say if he knew?

"_Zack, your soldier honour will be destroyed if you keep acting like this!"_

He grinned to himself. My oh my, how exciting life was at Shinra. The drama may have slowed down with the fighting business, but the personal affairs? Oh, they were just too damn hard to deal with!

_Wonder what happened between Sephiroth and Reno, too?_

Scrap being polite- he had to find out what went on. Reno had seemed extremely bummed out earlier that day and the whole thought of him and Sephiroth holding a conversation was just bizarre. He had never once before seen them talk, let alone look at each other for more than five seconds.

"_You two don't normally talk,"_

"_Wish we'd have kept it that way as well..."_

Well, at least he wasn't the only one with problematical issues. Perhaps Reno's were more drastic than his? Who knew. Everything with Sephiroth was drastic and confusing; so there was a slight possibility. One thing was certain though - it definitely _wasn't _romantically involved. The thought made him laugh out loud.

_Guess it's time to head back._

Zack turned around; ready to finally give in and report back to Tseng, when he noticed something that completely stunned him.

There was a guy stood in front of him.

Looking timidly into his eyes.

Wearing an infantry man uniform.

"Cloud," he gasped, taken aback by his friend's sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to find you," Cloud panted, clearly exhausted from chasing the Soldier.

Zack scratched the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, sorry about that."

"Running away?"

Zack saw no need to lie. "Yeah."

The two of them stood in silence for a minute or two, wondering what exactly the right thing to say was. Zack didn't want to speak, in case he gave Cloud the wrong impression. Then, at the same time, the blonde didn't want to speak either in case he humiliated poor Zack.

_Oh, the awkward atmosphere..._

"Wanna return to the building?" Cloud finally offered.

Zack thought about it for a second and nodded. "Guess that's more sensible, Chocobo."

"We, er..." Cloud mumbled, starting to lose his confidence slightly.

"Have a lot to talk about?" Zack finished.

Cloud looked back up at him, grateful. "Yeah."

Zack exhaled heavily. "I don't know whether this'll turn out dreadful or just not very well at all."

"Let's save it until we're back," Cloud smiled, waiting for Zack to lead the way.

Zack couldn't believe what he was about to do.

How can you possibly tell your best friend that you're sexually attracted about him and fantasize about him daily WITHOUT scarring your friendship?

He was doomed...

* * *

><p><strong>Short yet sharp!<strong>

**Can imagine Cloud chasing Zack like a madman down the slums streets...**

**Next chapter is the big moment of truth! ^.^**

**-cue dramatic music.-**

**Review and I will make your dreams come true - srsly.**


	6. Humiliation

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited~_

Cloud and Zack go back to the apartment to discuss the 'matter' at hand.

How will the blonde react? What exactly will Zack blurt out? Let's just say there will be a lot of embarrassing revelations ;)

Chapter Six: Humiliation

* * *

><p>Cloud gaped in unconcealed awe as he finally came face to face with Zack's apartment.<p>

It was much bigger than he had originally expected. He had heard many times that Soldier members tended to complain about the size of their accommodation - but staring at enormous space in front of him with wide and envious eyes, he couldn't understand why.

_Wish I could have a place like this someday..._

Taking off his heavy helmet and mud-drenched boots; Cloud slowly began to follow his friend into the main hall and found himself gazing astonishingly at the junk surrounding him. The blonde had literally never seen such a filth ridden building. It made him desperate to pick up a brush and begin cleaning...

_Gaia, Zack is messy._

The long hall was overrun with discarded pieces of paper and torn out articles. It was almost like entering a maze with all the careful stepping you had to do. Cloud noticed that every single newspaper clipping scattered across the floor had something to do with The Shinra Corporation. Much to his bewilderment, Zack didn't seem to be mentioned in any of these headlines. They mainly focused around the 'brave hero Sephiroth' and the wonders of the company. Why had Zack kept these?

There were also a few pictures stuck clumsily up on the wall, which seemed to mainly contain photos of Zack's family and his hometown, Gongaga. They were all slanted and not properly arranged. Zack obviously wasn't too picky when it came to presentation either.

Cloud switched his focus from the left wall to the right; letting out a huge beam as his eyes fell onto a large photograph beside him.

_It's me and Zack._

The pair of them had taken it together on the mission in Modeoheim. He could still recall being stood at the top of that freezing mountain - moments after the two of them had first met - gaping amusedly at his new friend. Although Cloud was usually quite camera shy, he hadn't at all minded when Zack had started taking thousands of unnecessary pictures with him. Actually, he'd really enjoyed it.

_Didn't think he'd put them all up on the wall though..._

The walls were a calming baby blue, which satisfied Cloud as he was so used to the distasteful orange walls in the barracks. He couldn't help but think that the colour suited Zack. It was just so peaceful, yet characteristic, like him.

_Not painted very well though..._

"Glancing at my museum, Chocobo?" Zack laughed, making the blonde jump right out of his skin.

They had been in silence for quite some time until now.

"Just... didn't expect this," Cloud admitted, finally leaving the long hall and following Zack into the just as spacious living room.

"Excuse the mess," Zack groaned, kicking away a discarded piece of clothing.

Cloud chuckled lightly. "You're usually so organised at work."

"Well, of course!" Zack grinned, staring at the blonde with mischievous eyes. "I need to be when it comes to work. But I'm allowed to be a slob in my own place!"

"Fair enough," Cloud said, awkwardly taking a seat on the smaller chair of the two.

Zack gulped loudly. "...Want a drink, Chocobo?"

The blonde shook his head. "No thanks."

"Oh, okay then..."

_Silence..._

"Well, I definitely need a drink!" Zack chirped, strolling energetically out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Cloud smiled to himself. It wasn't often that you saw Zack Fair acting nervous and embarrassed. He was usually the guy who comforted the jumpy members and gave them wise words of advice. Seeing him act awkward himself was a real shocker.

Without really meaning to, Cloud found himself glancing quickly round the room and observing all of Zack's possessions. There wasn't really anything too interesting to look at. Well, nothing besides the giant plasma TV and the ridiculously sized coffee table. He had expected that, though. Zack had once told him that his apartment was like heaven on earth. The only unusual objects in the room, which Cloud assumed he wasn't supposed to notice, were the huge stack of magazines hidden poorly behind the cabinet.

Cloud had never seen such a huge collection before in his life.

Letting his interest win over him; the Infantry Man scurried over to the corner of the room and found himself picking up the magazine on top. Much to his surprise, he didn't recognize the title. He thought he would have. Most of his friends carried around ridiculous magazines and daily newspapers, which they regularly thrusted into Cloud's unwilling face. He did not read and he did not intend to. However, he had memorized almost every title of the worthless things.

Cloud looked at the title.

_Curiosity for men._

"Curiosity for men?" Cloud whispered to himself.

He flipped open the first page.

_Oh sweet Gaia..._

Cloud had seen enough. Without hesitation, he closed the magazine and forcefully placed it back on top of the huge pile. He hadn't been expecting...

..._Rude magazines._

They hadn't just been the usual porn magazines either. They had been full of men... naked men.

Turning back around, Cloud decided that he would just place himself back onto the leather seat and pretend like nothing had ever happened. Zack would never know and he would never have to either. He could act casual and unsuspicious.

Well, that's what he was hoping for anyway.

_Gaia!_

The blonde let out a loud yelp as he noticed the Soldier stood frozen in the doorway.

Zack had got his water quicker than expected.

His plan to act unknowingly and continue on as normal had been snatched away from him. He was praying that Zack had only just walked in, but judging by the humiliated look on his face, he had obviously seen it all. His face had gone bright red and his eyes had grown to twice their normal size.

_Oh no..._

"I'm sorry, Zack!" Cloud cried, throwing himself clumsily back on the chair. "I was just looking!"

"Ugh..." Zack groaned, burying his head in his shaking hands. "How embarrassing."

Cloud glanced down at the floor in shame. "Sorry for being nosy, sir."

_Sir? Why is he calling me that?_

"Hey!" Zack said, suddenly forcing the embarrassment away. "You don't have to call me sir, Cloud. We're friends, right?"

Cloud forced himself to look at Zack once more and nodded in agreement. "Okay."

"Now..." Zack sighed, placing himself on the sofa opposite. "I think we have a lot to talk about. I'll ask before I begin – how much to you want to know?"

There was a deafening silence for a few seconds, whilst Cloud thought long and hard about his reply. The waiting process almost killed Zack. What if he backed out now?

"Everything," Cloud finally said. And he meant it.

Zack groaned.

_... Everything._

"Those magazines..." Zack started, before being interrupted by the blonde.

"You don't have to explain those," Cloud stuttered.

The soldier shook his head. "No, I do have to. They're important. Those magazines over there are exactly what you think they are. They're there to... satisfy my desires I guess..."

_Am I really telling him this?_

"My desires..."

_What if he hates me for it?_

"Over..."

_Will the truth disgust him?_

"...You."

Cloud stared blankly at him.

"Well, say something!" Zack snapped, annoyed with the blondes emotionless reaction.

He simply tilted his head. "But...Why me?"

Zack didn't understand the question. "Huh?"

"Why me?" he repeated.

"Why not?"

"I'm just a simple Infantry Man..." Cloud croaked, bowing his head slightly. "You're in Soldier. You could probably have anyone you wanted. So, why me?"

Zack snorted, which made the blonde frown in irritation. "What?" he squawked.

"You don't get it Chocobo," Zack said softly, wanting to reach out and caress the man's pale skin. Why didn't he get it? Why didn't he realise just how perfect he was?

"What don't I get?" Cloud asked confusedly.

"You're amazing!" Zack practically sung, throwing his hands up radically in the air. "After the incidence in Modeheim, you helped me get over what had happened. You were a real friend on that journey home and made the pain more bearable. I don't know what I would have done without you..."

Cloud went to protest but Zack wouldn't allow it. "Although you don't see it Chocobo, you're truly amazing. You're dedicated to becoming a fantastic member of Soldier, which you will be without a single doubt. Cloud, you're so passionate about your work, but you're so shy and unwilling to accept praise which makes you even more adorable!"

"... And all the rest! I mean, you're stupidly good looking too. I mean, obviously you can see that? Even you can't deny that. And another thing –"

_Oh god..._

_I'm ranting._

"S-sorry!" Zack spluttered, dropping his hands from above his head. He'd got too carried away... He'd promised himself that he would keep a calm head about it and discuss it in a mature and sensible way. Instead, he'd ended up revealing it in the most hysterical way possible.

_What would Angeal say to this?_

"... You really mean that?" Cloud whispered.

Zack hummed in response.

"Well, I don't agree with you," Cloud admitted, quickly holding his hand up. "But don't interrupt me. Please, let me finish Zack."

The Soldier groaned in response.

"When did you start err..." Cloud felt embarrassed to even ask. "Y'know..."

"Start having feelings for you?" Zack finished.

The blonde smiled. "Yeah. When?"

"A little while after Modeohiem. I guess I just started looking at you in a completely different way. Trust me, I tried not to. I really did... but I couldn't help it. I tried to keep my distance as well, but you made that increasingly difficult."

The blonde giggled. "I did notice that, but I just assumed you were mad at me."

"Mad?" Zack cried, alarmed by the suggestion. "It was the total opposite!"

Cloud's faced turned solemn once more. "So, do you... like men... I mean...?"

"I don't know..." Zack shrugged, gazing drearily at the ceiling. "I don't know what I like. I guess I've always just accepted who I like, whether they're male or female. It's different with you though. I can't just _like _you. I can't let my pathetic crush on you affect our friendship – like it did in training today."

_Silence again._

"I'm really sorry," Zack said, scratching the back of his head once. "For what happened today in the training room. Must have been a total surprise to you. Obviously, I didn't mean for it to happen and I felt like a total noodle once it had."

"You felt like a noodle?" Cloud asked, smirking at the insult. "Why? It's almost flattering in a way."

"Yeah, but..." Zack sighed, still unable to believe what he was admitting to. "I spent so long trying to keep it from you and my body just destroyed it all for me. You looked completely broken, too!"

"I admit I was horrified to being with," Cloud admitted. "Because you're my idol and I wasn't sure how to cope with what had happened. You're my friend too. It just seemed... not right in some ways."

Zack's face fell.

"But I thought about it!" Cloud added quickly, trying desperately not to upset or embarrass the man. "I realised that it didn't really matter what I felt towards it, because you know... I... Look up to you and... Want to be you in a few years time... So... It shouldn't change my idolisation of you."

_Blondie's so darn cute when he can't get the words out right!_

They both looked at each other for a minute, wearing equally amused expressions on their faces. Although strange to deal with and completely embarrassing, the situation earlier had been really quite comical.

In unison, with no control over it, the pair of them began laughing hysterically at one another until they were both clutching their stomachs in agony. Zack could even feel some tears escaping from his mako-infused eyes. It definitely broke the tension.

"Today has b-been a real weird day!" Zack choked, still laughing and unable to speak correctly. "I'm glad it's almost over with!"

Cloud gathered himself together. "Yeah, it has been an odd day. I didn't know how to react to what happened earlier. That's why I just left. I needed to clear my head."

"Sorry for all that confusion," Zack grinned, although not really apologetic at all. "So, can we go back to normal please?"

Cloud's expression turned deadly serious. "Well, I don't know about that."

_Oh god..._

"But we can certainly get over this," he thankfully added.

Zack beamed at him. "Good! Now, I apologise for this, but I'm going to kick you out because I'm _really_ exhausted."

Cloud giggled again. "You're pretty rude for a Soldier."

_Almost sounds like he's flirting..._

_No, don't get that idea into your head!_

"You're pretty stubborn for an Infantry Man!" Zack threw back.

_Thank god. Things are back to normal..._

"I'll show you out," Zack said, getting up from his comfortable position.

Cloud followed him unsurely. "You really don't have to do that, Zack."

"I know," the Soldier replied, waving away Cloud's polite refusal. "I want to, though. And I need to prove that us Soldier's are in fact very polite indeed."

Cloud tittered. He knew that. Zack was one of the kindest people he knew.

The soldier swung open the door for him. "Well, see ya Cloud. Let's hope tomorrow is less eventful and less stressful for the both of us!"

The blonde nodded in approval. "Yes, let's hope."

"Well, have a nice night," Zack said sheepishly, feeling a little awkward now.

"Yeah..." Cloud said, starting to feel a little strange. "And you."

The blonde didn't move.

"Err, Cloud," Zack said amusedly, pointing to Cloud's mud drenched boots. "Those are you feet and those are you legs. You use them to walk. Need a lesson, buddy?"

Cloud was still hesitant about moving.

"Are you okay, Chocobo?" Zack asked, starting to feel really quite worried.

Cloud turned to him, his eyes blank and confused. "I don't know..."

"Tell me what's wrong!" Zack cried sternly, placing his hands upon the Infantry Man's soldiers. "I want to help!"

Cloud simply stared into him, expressionless.

_This could be the perfect moment..._

Although he knew it was the wrong course of action, Zack still did what his brain...

_-And crotch_-

...Was telling him to do.

Without a second thought, or even a chance to consider his friends feelings, Zack lowered his mouth unsurely and pressed his lips firmly against the blonde's. Cloud's eyes immediately widened in complete shock and stared confusingly into the lust-filled eyes of his friend. Zack could feel his heart hammering violently against his chest, full of both excitement and nervousness. Cloud wasn't responding in the way he'd hoped, but... this still felt amazing.

_Oh god. I've stepped the line. He really didn't want this!_

Cloud did not react at all. His hands stayed firmly by his sides and his mouth never once moved or released a sound; not even a groan of refusal. He was just... blank.

Zack quickly pulled away from his frozen friend and kept his hands raised awkwardly to his sides. What had he done? He'd just allowed Cloud to get over the trauma he'd previously experienced and now he'd gone and made everything worse. The blonde wasn't moving or responding in anyway. Zack would rather him yell or cry – anything was better than total silence.

"I'm so sorry..." Zack whispered, turning guiltily away from the stunned blonde.

Cloud finally moved his stiff body; finally allowing himself to show some sort of expression. He looked... broken.

Turning away from the apologetic man; Cloud forced himself to walk painfully towards the door

Zack simply watched as his friend departed slowly out of the apartment and headed down the ridiculous flight of stairs. There was a lift right next to Zack's apartment – why hadn't he just taken that?

_Maybe he needs time to think?_

"Damnit!" Zack hissed, cursing at himself for being so stupid. "Why'd you go and do that?"

He feared Cloud now hated him...

But unbeknown to him, the blonde had completely different ideas.

As he walked slowly and limply down the never ending stairs, Cloud starting replaying the kissing scene in his head again and again. Why hadn't he reacted? Why hadn't he pulled away?

He thought he'd have felt weird about kissing Zack...

He thought kissing his best friend would have disgusted him...

But never did he think that kissing his best friend...

_Would make my heart race._

Oh god.

What it possible that.

... Cloud had feelings for Zack too?

* * *

><p><strong>DUN DUN DUNNNN!<strong>

**Nah, you all knew it was going to happen. **

**Cloud... bless him. He's so darn cute. LOL - 'Curiosity For Men?' I'd forgotten about that stupid title!**

**What's going to happen next...?**

**Review and I will ensure you live a long and happy life ^.^**


	7. Complications

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~Re-edited.~_

Zack founds himself rudely awoken at 6am.

What exactly was Reno about to blurt out in front of him? What's going on?

More importantly... How will he face Cloud?

Chapter Seven: Complications

* * *

><p>Zack gawped at his phone in disbelief – unsure of how to react to such a moment.<p>

He eventually decided that yelling would be the most sensible solution.

"WHHHY SO DAMN EARRLLYYY?"

The man didn't care that he was receiving a phone call from one of the most idolized heroes in the world. Nor did it hit him that the man was thousand times stronger both physically and mentally, which could result badly for him if he were cross the line. It was early... that's all he was aware of and all he was concerned about...

"Good morning," Sephiroth replied coolly, choosing to ignore the Soldiers rudeness. "I am assuming that I woke you up?"

"Of course you did!" Zack whined, glancing at his alarm clock with bloodshot eyes. "It's only 6 in the morning – and it's my day off!"

"My apologies," the man sighed, not the least bit sympathetic. "However, I need you in my office for a small discussion.

Zack groaned at the mere thought. "Why do I get the feeling that this isn't going to be good?"

"Just be there within the hour."

He could practically picture Sephiroth's smug little face...

"Okay, boss!"

With that, the line went dead.

_Charming._

Wincing as he did so; Zack mustered all the energy he possibly could and hauled himself out of his warm and comforting bed. He regretted that decision immediately and yearned to crawl back in and disobey the General. That idea was soon scrapped though – it would certainly end in the man being punished for his 'sluggish attitude.'

"_Zachary, do I have to remind you that laziness results in writing tedious reports for a week?"_

"Never again..." Zack whimpered, picturing the last time that he'd had to endure such punishment.

"_I won't do it again though, sir! I'll definitely show up on time!"_

He could almost picture the man stood there with a whip and handcuffs – threatening to spank him if he didn't...

Wait.

What on earth was he saying?

_-Such a damn pervert!-_

Zack shook his head in disappointment; he had never been this reluctant to go to work. The man had practically skipped round the apartment after noticing an uncommonly blank space on his calendar the night before. That meant only one brilliant thing – he could avoid Cloud for the day!

Now that plan had been shattered. Stolen away from him. Raped and destroyed.

_...Cloud._

Zack wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say to the blonde. What could you possibly say in such cruel circumstances? He had unexpectedly kissed the frightened kid and destroyed any chance of repairing their already damaged friendship.

"_I admit I was horrified to begin with."_

Cloud said he had been completely horrified. The man had got a teensy bit aroused and that had _horrified _him.

How utterly disgusted must he have been by the kiss then? It must have sickened the kid entirely.

"_But I thought about it!"_

"_So... It shouldn't change my idolization of you."_

Zack cursed at himself.

_The kid idolised you!_

But would he idolise him now after what had happened? Would he still see him as this big brave hero who displayed the true power of Soldier? Probably not.

"Would a teenager still appreciate batman if he admitted to picturing him naked?"

Why did he have such a vivid imagination? Besides, batman was a cartoon character from a magazine, that didn't even...

Magazine... Magazine...

That's when he remembered his 'hidden' stash of magazines.

"Eurgh..." he grunted, clumsily stumbling out of his bedroom."Should have hidden them better."

The memory tore at him.

The magazines certainly contained more than friendly, harmless pictures.

"_They're there to...satisfy my desires, I guess...Over you."_

Had he REALLY said that?

How must that have made the blonde view him? He had basically admitted that he used those magazines to fight away any inappropriate thoughts about Cloud. The guy could probably guess what he had done over those images- alone in his bedroom with nothing but his hand! Picturing Cloud's face in replacement of the airbrushed model...

"I need coffee!" Zack suddenly declared, sprinting like a madman to the kitchen.

_Need to run fast in the hallway. Don't want to be looking at the photo of Cloud right now..._

Without hesitation, the Soldier flicked on the coffee machine and grimaced as the appliance released a deafening sound. If it were possible for ears to bleed, Zack imagined that his would have been drowning at that moment in time. It didn't matter though - coffee was worth the pain.

"Caffeine..." he growled, hunting desperately in the kitchen cupboards.

...There was no sugar.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU."

* * *

><p>Zack finally reached the uninviting door which would lead him straight into Sephiroth's office.<p>

Straight at the man's mercy.

He knew that it either had to be about something extremely bad or something extremely tiring. Sephiroth rarely called Zack into his office for a 'casual chat.'

_Might as well enter in style..._

"Seph!" Zack cried, bursting into the Generals office with a sudden wave of liveliness. "How are you today?"

"Quite all right," was his casual reply, not at all phased by Zack's insane energy. He was used to it.

"Well, I was too!" Zack whined, positioning himself right in the corner of the office. "Until my phone began ringing at exactly–"

"Hey, asshole!"

Both men fell silent at the interruption.

Somebody else had barged into the office...

_What the?_

"I know you took em!" the figure barked, strolling up to Sephiroth with feigned confidence.

Wait a minute... That sounded just like...

_Is that Reno?_

"I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about," Sephiroth growled, stepping away from his desk and towards the redhead. "Turk."

Fortunately for Zack, the man didn't notice him, perched confusedly in the corner.

"Where are my smokes?" Reno hissed at him.

Sephiroth shrugged his shoulders. "I must have forgotten."

"What?" the Turk cried, his eyes full of disbelief. "You are shitting me, yeah?"

"It seems I have misplaced them."

Zack could see the pure venom... _and fear_... In Reno's eyes.

"Tell me Turk," Sephiroth snarled, gnarling his teeth at the wide-eyed man. "What exactly gives you the right to barge in like this?"

"Stealing is a crime, yo!" was Reno's weak reply.

_All for cigarettes? Honestly..._

"I was doing you a favour," Sephiroth hissed, stepping away from the worked up redhead. "I'm saving you from a shorter life. I should be receiving gratitude."

"I'll just buy more!" Reno screeched, his voice slowly turning hysterical. "Didn't think of that, did you?"

"Well, that's your stupid decision then. Won't be alive much longer."

"Why d'you care anyway?" Reno asked, his anger slowly fading into suspicion.

Sephiroth stared blankly back at him. "I do not care about you."

"Or was it to pretend you care?" Reno said smugly, giving Sephiroth a knowing look.

_The same one that he gave me earlier..._

"Was it just an act to try and make me keep quiet about –"

"ZACHARY!" Sephiroth roared, preventing the man from finishing his sentence. "You can come out from your hiding place now! Our conversation is over."

The redhead spun round at an unbelievable speed. "Zack!"

_What was Reno just about to blurt out? __What does he know that I don't?_

"Hey buddy," Zack said casually, stepping away from the corner and joining the other two men. "How are things going?"

"F-fine," Reno stuttered, barely able to conceal his amazement.

"Now," Sephiroth growled, placing a strong grip on the Turks arm. "Myself and Zachary have a great deal to discuss. It's time for you to leave."

"What?" Reno howled, desperately trying to pull the man off. It was no use, though.

Without even slightly faltering; Sephiroth yanked open the office door and hurled Reno out with as much force as he could muster. The Turk flew through the air at great speeds - crashing straight into the opposite wall. He whimpered at the pain and found himself staring back at blood... a nosebleed?

Before the redhead had chance to protest; the General violently slammed the door on his saddened face and tugged desperately on the lock. His fingers awkwardly twiddled with the device and his brows furrowed in concentration. The urgency in Sephiroth's actions had the Soldier feeling a little more than 'suspicious.'

"What was all that about?" Zack asked when the General finally sat back down.

"Nothing," the man lied.

Zack pulled a face. "You know you can talk to me."

He and Sephiroth had built a good relationship ever since the disappearance of Angeal and Sephiroth. Zack had half looked up to and half pitied the man. He was still a brave and unbelievably good member of Soldier, but after the incident with his two best friends, he had been left a loner – an outsider. Abandoned by the only two people he had ever cared about.

Zack hoped that the man could care about him too someday...

"It doesn't matter," Sephiroth replied sternly. "But I'll keep that in mind for the future," he added with genuine appreciation.

The raven-haired man shuffled awkwardly. "So... what did you call me in for boss?"

Sephiroth finally released his tense position. "I needed to ask you a favour."

_I knew it!_

"What would that be?" Zack groaned, knowing full well that he wouldn't like the answer.

"I need you..." Sephiroth said slowly, gazing emptily into the Soldier's eyes.

_To stay home for the rest of the week? _

"... to..."

_Go back a couple of days and stop my mouth from assaulting Cloud?_

"Give the wannabe Soldier members a talk."

He hadn't been expecting that.

"Excuse me?" Zack croaked in disbelief. "What now?"

The general exhaled loudly. "The meeting I attended yesterday was all about inspiration. The President says that he wants the people at Shinra to be more... _inspired_."

Zack blinked hard.

_Weren't they already inspired enough? Why else would they have joined the company?_

"Do not know how the fool can talk," Sephiroth snarled, once again showing his disliking for the man. "He does not get to see anything that takes place down here. He sits up in his office all day, barking orders at those two cackling slaves. Then he has the cheek to take control of our little gatherings and act like he understands everything that goes on in this company."

Zack chuckled. He loved seeing this 'normal' side to the man.

"This results in you being forced to give the men a long and tedious talk about inspiration."

Zack let out a yelp.

"There shall be a group of you," Sephiroth quickly added, holding up his hand before the man could protest. "It will be yourself and most of the other Soldier members. Each of you will be given a separate man who you will attempt to aspire and... _Gain a strong bond with_."

Sephiroth sounded like he wanted to vomit.

"No problem sir!" Zack beamed, saluting the un-amused Soldier.

Sephiroth cocked his head. "I assumed you'd be more disappointed than this?"

"Disappointed?" Zack gasped, offended by the Generals comments. "How could I ever be disappointed with this? I get to talk to people all day. I'm good at talking!"

Sephiroth cocked his eyebrow. "We are all well aware of that Zack."

"Eh..."

_Was that a compliment or an insult?_

"Now go," Sephiroth said, impolitely shooing Zack out of his office. "The meeting is being held in the training room. You're already late."

"But that's Reno's fault!" Zack whinged, throwing his legendary puppy eyes at the General.

It was no use, however. Sephiroth's face had darkened at the mention of the man.

"Well, I'll be off then..." Zack said nervously, backing slowly and carefully out of the office. "Ehehe... see you."

And that was that.

* * *

><p>"Zack!" one of the receptionists called, waving frantically to the worn out Soldier.<p>

_Had to practically sprint here!_

"Stand over there," she instructed him, pointing towards a long line of men. "You'll get a handed a piece of card – it will have the young man's name on. He will be in your care for the entire task."

"Waste of time if you ask me," Zack smirked, winking at the flustered woman.

"Tease!" she giggled, wallowing in the fact that she'd been flirted with. "Just do as you're told, silly!"

Zack grinned smugly to himself and wandered happily over to the large group of Soldiers.

_-Who would guess I fancied a man, eh?-_

Each one of them waved at him- merely out of politeness - before continuing with their stroppy pouting.

"What's with the moody atmosphere?" Zack asked the man to the right of him.

The familiar face turned to him, glowering. "This is totally the worst part of the job!"

"Why?" Zack practically yelped. He loved giving talks!

"I never know what to say to them," the man confessed, glancing timidly at the group of young men. "It can get pretty awkward at times."

"I love doing this!" Zack beamed, his eagerness surprising the entire group. "Inspiring these kids is easy."

One of the men to the left decided to join in. "That's easy for you to say Zack!"

"You can talk for hours!" another added.

Zack pouted. He didn't go on _that _much... did he?

"Here's your card," a lady in front of him sighed, suddenly appearing before the group. She held out a sealed envelope with his name written on it in black ink.

_How very damn professional!_

"Awesome!" Zack exclaimed, reaching for the card before –

"Who have you got?" the man beside him asked, rudely ripping away the envelope.

"Hey!" Zack cried, tearing the piece of card out of his hands. "Give it back!"

"It's only a name," the man chuckled, reaching out for his own envelope.

Zack went to look at his own card, before the man decided to pipe up again.

"It's so unfair," he grumbled, turning to Zack with an un-amused expression. "They give_ you_ someone you know, just because they've noticed you hanging round together; whilst the rest of us get complete and utter strangers."

Zack laughed at his bitterness. "Well you should interact with the ducklings more – like I do!"

"Hell, no!" the man snorted.

Zack smiled to himself. At least he knew the kid, right?

_Well, I know everyone here pretty much. Make the effort to talk to everyone individually._

He looked down happily at his paper, anxious to see who he'd been given!

... When his heart stopped beating.

"_At least it's someone you know! They've noticed you hang round together!"_

"Oh, shit..."

Zack couldn't believe it... The name... The name read... Cloud... Cloud Strife...

_Gaia, could the world be anymore cruel?_

"Why the long face?" the man asked him, assuming he'd be pleased. "Should be happy that you already know the kid. Means you can easily hold a conversation!"

_I really doubt that..._

Zack glanced up fearfully at the large group of young members. Without a doubt, Cloud had already read his own slip of paper and been devastated with the name listed. Would the blonde walk out and refuse to do it? Would he beg to swap with someone else? Would he reveal to the group what happened?

_Oh Gaia..._

He noticed Cloud immediately, gaping in terror at the piece of card handed to him.

The blonde looked up.

The Soldier looked down.

"How long will this talk last?" Zack asked the guy on his left.

"Three hours," was his reply.

_Three hours!_

"This will be the death of me," he said to himself, sighing. "Oh the joys of being in Shinra!"

He could already feel the beads of sweat dripping down his forehead...

_What the hell's going to happen now?_

* * *

><p><strong>Awkward moment will be awkward! ^.^<strong>

**Oh Sephiroth, don't be so mean to poor Reno! He only wants some sexy time!**

**If I ran out of sugar for my coffee... (shudders)**

**Please review! I know this fic is old and not great, but I'd really appreciate it! PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES PEOPLE! :')**


	8. Awkwardness

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited.~_

Cloud and Zack find themselves in an awkward situation.

What is blurted out? What is said? Who will be left speechless by the end of it?

Chapter Eight: Awkwardness

* * *

><p>Soldier 1st Class Zack Fair, much to his total and utter displeasure, was being led to a desolated and quiet room with the one man he hoped he'd never have to face again. The one man he knew would never be able to forgive him. The one man who he still wanted... more than anything else in the entire world.<p>

No amount of pleading or praying for interruption would save him this time.

There was no crueller punishment.

For three whole hours, without a single break or disturbance, he and the man he desperately lusted after would be forced to hold an awkward and unsatisfying conversation about being in Soldier. They would have to ignore what happened between them and pretended everything was fine and dandy between them.

_How will I last?_

Zack was curious to know what the blonde was thinking...

He refused to turn round and look at the man's expression however, for that would only cause further complications.

_Bet the kid hates me._

"Here we go," the woman leading finally said, stopping abruptly in front of a coded door. "You two will be in here. Here is the security code and the time to finish."

Zack was handed a small piece of card.

"Why do we need a code?" he asked, puzzled. "Isn't that a little over the top?"

_We're only going for an interview._

The woman rolled her eyes at him. "Obviously in case someone tries to interrupt."

"Who would really interrupt an interview though?"

The woman practically barked her next sentence. "It's company orders! That's it! End of story!"

And with that she left.

"Sheesh," Zack sighed, staring down at the unnecessarily long code. "It's massive. Can you read out the number to me, Cloud?"

The Soldier finally turned to face the blonde.

_Gaia, he's so damn good looking._

"S-sure," Cloud stuttered, snatching the piece of card away from him. "Three... Two..."

As the Infantry Man slowly read out the code to him; Zack's mind began drifting to various ways in which he could avoid having the agonizing talk. Could Reno interrupt? Could Kunsel barge in? What if he pleaded with Sephiroth to give him a different task? Or a different guy to talk with?

"I'll do it," Cloud said nervously, disturbing the Soldier's wave of thoughts.

The raven-haired man turned to him. "Do what now?"

"I can do the code?" the blonde offered, reaching his hand out towards the keypad.

Zack shook his head. "No Chocobo, it's fine. Just keep reading."

"B-but..." Cloud stammered, gazing awkwardly down at the Soldier's boots.

"What's up?" the man asked. "Spit it out, Cloud."

"You just typed in all the wrong buttons."

Zack quickly averted his attention back to the small machine.

_Did I?_

"Your hands were shaking too much," Cloud croaked, embarrassed to point out his obvious nervousness.

_How humiliating..._

"Sorry," Zack apologised clumsily, stepping out of the way for Cloud to take over. "I'll read out the numbers and you type in."

The blonde nodded at him and took over his position.

Feeling annoyed with himself and completely humiliated; Zack shakily began reading out the never ending code. Although Cloud was shaking too, he was finding it much easier to type in the numbers. He figured he must of being juddering pretty badly to have made so many stupid mistakes.

_Oh Gaia..._

"There we go!" the blonde said happily as the door finally swung open for him. "You first, Zack."

The Soldier gulped. How was he finding this so easy?

Fortunately for Cloud, the man hadn't notice his irregular breathing and quickening heart rate. He didn't notice his 'joyful' features fall as the pair of them strolled into the deserted room together. Zack really had the wrong idea about what the blonde was thinking.

For the past few days, all Cloud _could _think about was that kiss.

"What an ugly sight," the Soldier grimaced, frowning at the bare walls and total lack of character in the room. Cloud had to agree - ugliness and emptiness were the first two words that came to mind.

The walls had been painted a blinding white, to the extent where the brightness of the paint almost gave you a headache. There were no pictures, posters or signs hanging up on the walls either. They were completely bare, besides the unflattering paint work and the room number plastered on the back wall.

Positioned in the middle of the room was a long and narrow glass table, with two plastic chairs arranged neatly around it. Zack wrinkled his nose at the sight. The entire room reminded him of a mental institution. Blinding walls, feeling of claustrophobia, an interviewing table... He could almost imagine a therapist positioned in either of the chairs, waiting for his mental patient to arrive.

Cloud shuddered. He had pictured the same thing too.

Zack strolled over to the unnecessarily long table and sat himself down in the most comfortable seat of the two. Cloud followed suit and positioned himself opposite the Soldier. The two men winced in unison as the sound of the blonde's chair scraping against the floor echoed throughout the room.

"What a horrible place," Cloud whispered, gazing in disbelief at the surroundings around him. "Really gives a sense of loneliness and being completely confined."

Zack didn't like the sadness in his voice. "You alright, kiddo?"

Cloud nodded. "I'm fine."

_...Silence._

"So, what do you want to know about Soldier?" Zack asked, desperate to keep the conversation alive.

"Err..." Cloud said, racking his brain for any ideas or questions. "I'm not too sure."

_Great help there, kiddo._

"We'll discuss battles!" Zack exclaimed, frightening the blonde with his sudden rise in enthusiasm. "What interests you about the battles, Cloud?"

The blonde stared at him, wide-eyed.

_Is he really going to dodge what happened?_

"Zack, I –" he started, before being rudely interrupted.

"Just ask a question, Chocobo," Zack said, a little too sternly for Cloud's liking.

_Is he trying to avoid the conversation?_

Cloud blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Well, I guess...Who's been the hardest opponent?"

Zack grinned in approval at the question. "That's more like it!"

_Good, I hate it when he's mad..._

"Angeal, easily," Zack admitted, his features falling slightly at the mention of the man. "I just wanted to save him... From himself..."

_Silence again..._

"Anything else?" he asked stiffly, mentally urging the blonde to cooperate.

Cloud shook his head. "I really can't think."

_Well this is going just as badly as I'd imagined..._

Zack stared clumsily at his phone, not quite sure what else he should really be doing. He was finding it almost unbearable being sat in silence...

Cloud began fiddling with his blonde spikes in sheer nervousness.

_Oh Gaia, how long has it been? An hour?_

TWENTY MINUTES?

"So, Cloud," Zack finally said, spreading relief across both of their faces. "What's it like in Nibelheim?"

Cloud froze.

_Oh no, have I asked a bad question?_

"It's okay I guess," Cloud shrugged, not wanting to go into too much detail.

Actually, he'd much rather not go into any detail whatsoever.

Zack however, wasn't satisfied with his answer. "What about friends? Do you have any friends at home, rooting for you?"

The blondes face instantly darkened. "Sort of."

_It's obviously a delicate subject for him..._

"Sorry for intruding," Zack said a little sheepishly, feeling guilty for interfering with his personal life. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want too."

The blonde shot him an appreciative look. "Thanks, Zack."

_Here we go with the silence again..._

_This is killing me!_

Zack decided to start asking random questions. "Who would you say your main idol is?"

_What a question..._

"My main idol is... General Sephiroth," Cloud mumbled, throwing the man an apologetic look. "Sorry - you come a close second, though."

Zack laughed at the answer and held his hands up. "Don't worry, I'm used to it. Everyone looks up to Seph. Even me... Sometimes."

Cloud gaped at him.

_Did he just call the General Seph? Does he actually allow nicknames?_

"Next question!" Zack cried, slowly beginning to enjoy the whole interviewing process. "Do you have many friends with you at Soldier?"

Cloud nodded. "Yeah, I do. Quite a few."

"What are their names?" Zack hoped he wasn't being too nosy.

"I have quite a lot..." Cloud said bashfully, not wanting to sound too cocky. "But I guess my main friends are Mark, Tony and Nathan."

Zack was curious now. "What are they like?"

"They're okay I guess," Cloud said confusedly, unsure as to why Zack was so interested. "Nathan can get a little touchy feely, but I guess that's just the way he is."

Zack's fists clenched. "Touchy... Feely?"

"Yeah," Cloud said, not noticing the Soldier's obvious rage. "He just likes to be all over people – especially me. It gets annoying but you just get used to it."

Zack was hoping the blonde would stop there, but he didn't.

"He calls me his 'Sunshine on a Cloudy Day' which is meant to refer to my name but makes zero sense. He tries calling me his lover too, but that just –"

"That's cool!" Zack blurted out, desperately wanting to change the subject. "Next question – what's your favourite colour?"

Cloud blinked at him. "Favourite... colour?"

_Wait a minute, is Zack... jealous of Nathan?_

"Yeah," Zack said. "Green? Blue? Red? Mine is easily blue..."

"If you don't mind me asking," the blonde croaked, completely ignoring Zack's random and irrelevant question. "Does me talking about Nathan make you, um... well, uncomfortable?"

Zack's eyes widened.

_Was I right?_

"Uncomfortable?" he snorted, trying his hardest to sound surprised. "Why would it do that?"

"You just sounded angry," Cloud admitted.

Zack tried to look offended. "Me? Angry!"

"But, the other day when we... It would make sense if you -"

_Oh No..._

_I brought it up._

Zack stopped his act.

_He brought it up..._

Cloud began to panic. "Uh, I mean, the color is..."

"No, Chocobo," Zack said, interrupting the blonde for the hundredth time. "Things do need to be said."

Relief spread across the blondes face. "I'm glad you agree."

_Oh dear Gaia._

"Ugh..." Zack groaned, burying his head in his hands. "They need to invent a time machine."

Cloud giggled nervously. "Yeah..."

_Here we are again..._

Cloud stared thoughtfully at him. What would he say? Would he call it a mistake? Would he simply apologize? Or would he make up some lame excuse and try to -

"I'm sorry for what happened!" Zack howled, stunning Cloud with his sudden liveliness. "It was a really stupid thing to do and I wasn't even considering your feelings at the time. Something was obviously bothering you and I took advantage of that opportunity when really I should have been helping you. I know you said it disgusts you and..."

Cloud interrupted. "Zack, I just –"

"... And I swear it won't happen again! We can go back to how it was before you even found out that..."

The blonde raised his voice. "Zack, I really -"

"... I liked you and we can pretend it never happened and I'll never try anything..."

"ZACK I WANTED YOU TO KISS ME!"

* * *

><p>He had to have misheard him.<p>

"...Excuse me?" Zack choked, staring at the blonde in disbelief.

Cloud sighed in defeat. "I wanted to kiss you. That's why I stopped at your door."

Zack's jaw fell to the floor. "But you just -"

"I know I walked off," Cloud finished, predicting exactly what the man would say. "That's because I didn't know how to react. I didn't know how to handle what had happened."

The Soldier couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But you said it disgusted you?"

Cloud bowed his head in shame. "It didn't disgust me so much. It just surprised me."

_Did not expect this..._

"You're my best friend and I didn't know what to think towards you having those kinds of feelings," he continued, blushing by the minute. "After it happened I kinda felt... y'know... Curious... But I didn't know whether it meant anything..."

Zack smiled at the flustered blonde.

_He so damn adorable!_

"Shouldn't have just walked off!" Zack laughed, getting up off the uncomfortable seat. "Gave me a heart attack."

Cloud looked guilty. "Sorry, Zack. I just wasn't sure how to cope with it."

"Don't be sorry," Zack grinned, walking round the ridiculously long table and approaching the blonde. "It's done now – it doesn't matter anymore."

"Obviously, I d-didn't want to be curious," Cloud stuttered, still unable to give any eye contact. "It just causes complications and makes everything so much more difficult."

Zack laughed. "Think about how I've felt for the past few months!"

Cloud finally looked up at him and smiled. "Sorry!"

_So damn cute..._

"Stop apologising!" Zack said sternly, clocking him round the head with the envelope in his hand. "Nothing to be sorry for, Chocobo!"

"Sorry –"

Cloud realised his mistake and giggled.

"You're sure you're not joking?" the man asked unsurely. "This kind of feels too good to be true... Don't say any of this out of sympathy."

The blonde pouted at him. "Why would I joke about something like this? Something so..."

He was embarrassed by his own feelings.

"Now..." Zack began, thinking hard to himself. "How are we going to solve this?"

_Still can't get over this..._

Cloud gazed up at him, admiring the pure concentration on the man's face. Wasn't it obvious what they should do now? Did Zack really have to think hard about it?

"Kiss me again,"

Zack practically choked on air. "Say what?"

"Kiss me again," he repeated.

Zack stared down at him unsurely. "This definitely what you want?"

"Yes," Cloud replied – and he meant it.

The Soldier needed no more convincing.

With much less force than the last time and little more control; he bent down towards the nervous blonde and pressed their lips tightly together. Once again, Cloud froze from the touch and gave Zack no sign of moving. The Soldier panicked for a moment, wondering whether the blonde had made a regretful decision.

_Oh no..._

Fortunately though, Cloud managed to regain his train of thought and kissed the man back with equal fervour. It felt good – oh hell, it felt _too_ good. Zack grunted into their open mouths; cupping the back of the blonde's head with somewhat aggression. Those gloved hands dug into that spiky hair; gripping him so tightly that it almost became painful. Cloud copied his actions and slammed their lips together, so that the space between them was nonexistent.

_Gaia!_

The Soldier drew back desperately for air - shocked by the blonde's lustful reaction - before being pulled back into the kiss by an impatient Cloud. Who knew the innocent Mr. Strife was so aggressive? He let out a muffled laugh and clutched the sides of the blonde's smooth face; running his fingers down those reddening cheeks. Kissing him felt amazing... He could never have imaged getting such a good response.

Deciding to be a little daring; Cloud eased his tongue into the Soldier's willing, yet un-expecting mouth. He ultimately began to lead the kiss, much to Zack's total displeasure. The two wrestled for domination, their tongues fighting viciously and grips tightening. The warmth and wetness of the blonde's throbbing mouth was driving Zack crazy... The bulge in his pants had gone from nonexistent to incredibly hard in a matter seconds. He drew back from the kiss for a moment and paused to nibble Cloud's lip, which gained him a desirable moan in response.

_Oh sweet Gaia – this kids gonna be the death of me._

Without warning the flustered blonde; Zack quickly pulled away and slowly began regaining himself.

Cloud looked hurt at the sudden withdrawal.

_Have I done something wrong?_

"Sorry Cloud," Zack said apologetically, noticing the blonde's devastated expression. "If you get the engine geared up too quickly it's gonna explode – get what I mean?"

Cloud stared up longingly up at him; unconsciously licking his lips.

"Tease..." Zack whispered, resisting the urge to bend down and devour the blonde's neck.

"So..." he said smugly, leaning casually on the corner of the table."Did it feel wrong for friends to be doing that?"

Cloud shook his head. "No, it felt right. It felt... h-hot."

Zack grinned like an idiot as his friend. "Really?"

"Yup."

The Soldier smiled sweetly and bent down to kiss the satisfied blonde once more.

What else was there to pass the time? They certainly we're going to discuss Soldier now.

However, moments can easily be ruined.

Things never work out the way you want them too.

Something so good can easily become something so bad...

_Shit!_

Without any type of warning, the 'supposed-to-be-locked-and-coded-door' swung open with such great force that it threatened to come off its hinges.

Zack immediately leaped off the flustered blonde; trying his very best to smoothen himself down and look casual.

It was too late though. The person had seen.

"Zachary – what on earth do you think you're doing with that man?"

Cloud froze... He knew that voice.

_The General!_

The blonde swung round immediately in his chair and was greeted by a venomous glare. It pierced right through him. He had never seen anyone looked so angry...

"Seph!" Zack said coolly, scratching the back of head in nervousness. "What a surprise this is!"

"Yes, this certainly is a surprise..."

Zack tittered nervously. "What are you doing here, boss?"

"I came to tell you that you can finish early," Sephiroth explained, shooting Cloud a villainous look. "However, it seems you would rather like to spend a little while longer with the interviewee."

Zack frantically waved his hands in refusal. "Of course not! I can go now! We – can go now!"

With that, the two men scrambled forward and headed clumsily towards the uninviting door.

_Awkward... Awkward!_

As the pair of them passed the pissed off man; Zack found his arm being gripped and tugged. He didn't have chance to question what was happening before he found himself slammed into Sephiroth's chest. The man drew towards his ear; whispering so quietly that Zack himself struggled to hear.

"That behaviour is not allowed and not right. It will ruin your career with Shinra. Especially his. Sort it out."

The General abruptly let go of the man and pushed him violently towards the exit.

_I knew he wasn't one for being normal, but I didn't think he'd react like this..._

Sephiroth's words rang in his head.

"It will ruin your career with Shinra."

"_Especially his."_

Did Sephiroth really mean that? If someone were to find out, would Cloud really lose out the chance to become a member of Soldier? Zack didn't want that – certainly not at his expense.

"You coming, Zack?" the blonde asked shakily, still staring uncertainly at the General.

The raven-haired man shook his head. "No... I think we need time to clear our heads."

Cloud looked completely taken aback. "What?"

"We just need time to think!" Zack snapped, turning away from the hurt blonde.

It was true; they did need time to think. How it would seriously affect their positions at Shinra? Zack needed to look deeper into this. He'd been so caught up in the wonderful moment that he hadn't even considered the consequences of their actions.

He reluctantly turned back to the scowling General, who was still stood frozen by the coded door. He looked angry - fuming. There was no doubt that the scene had sickened him.

But there was something else in those frosty eyes too. Was it... jealousy?

_Nah, can't possibly be._

Unbeknown to Zack, the general _was_ feeling something much stronger than rage. Seeing the two of them together hadn't set him off because he'd found it disgusting. It had really got to him because... because...

_Because he really was jealous._

He had never kissed anyone before like that in his life.

He hadn't even kissed the man he'd been in love with AT ALL in his life.

Why did Zack get happiness this easily?

_You're a selfish man..._

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, Cloud... Finally admitting you're a big perve like the rest of us :')<strong>

**Bet Zack was rather pleased with that unexpected turn of events!**

**Sephiroth... You asshole.**

**Why am I portraying you like this!**

**Please review - I will shit rainbows if you do... I kid you not ^.^**


	9. Frustrations

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited.~_

Small chapter about Reno and his thoughts!

Does Sephiroth really care after all?

Chapter Nine: Frustration

* * *

><p>Reno couldn't believe it.<p>

He'd been physically thrown out of Sephiroth's office for simply demanding to know where his smokes had gone. The boss man had been the one in the wrong – not him! He had stolen something of his -which was practically an illegal act!- and refused to return it to him. He could do him for theft! Or physical abuse! Not that he would. Oh, no. Not when the man had _that _amount of strength...

_Didn't know it was possible to pick someone up and throw them like that..._

If he hadn't been blinded by such anger; he probably would have felt a little more humiliated by the whole incidence. After all, Zack had been watching the entire time and had witnessed him get catapulted into the solid wall. Reno still couldn't believe that the man had just stood there and said absolutely nothing the whole time. He'd almost blurted out Sephiroth's most hidden secret, as well.

"_Was it an act to try and make me keep quiet about –"_

Reno had almost revealed the truth about the General's real feelings towards his best friend. Luckily, Sephiroth had been able to interrupt him at the exact right moment and prevent him from exposing the truth to the man. The redhead wasn't sure whether he would have preferred it if Zack had found out or not. Might have actually been satisfying to see the look on Sephiroth's face.

_Looks sexy when he's pissed._

Reno groaned. He didn't like to admit his obvious attraction towards the General, but it was stupidly undeniable now. It made no sense, though – he should hate him! First he stole from him and then he assaulted him! What gave him the right to do any of that?

When Sephiroth had made that aggressive face at him, he had felt fear, of course; but he'd felt lust a hell of a lot more. All he could picture was latching himself onto the man and finding his own perverted ways for the General to make it up to him. Oh, he could think of many ways in which he could do that...

_Listen to yourself, yo!_

He hated it. He loathed liking someone. The thing he hated the most about it though, was the fact that he could never have the guy. The man clearly wasn't interested and had an evidently strong disliking for the Turk. Also, he was still madly in love with his ex best friend – how was Reno supposed to compete with that?

_Could be a man and go to the gym to buff up?_

Reno violently shook his head. No! He wasn't going to make himself like that Angelus bloke.

Wait, what was his name again?

Well, he didn't care anyway. He'd only seen him a few times and the only impression he got was that the guy was an uglier and older version of Zack, who had far too many muscles to be considered normal. What had Sephiroth seen in him, anyway? Reno didn't like to be overly cocky, but he viewed himself as far better looking than that douche.

_Wait... Am I getting all jealous here?_

"Argh!" Reno hissed, hauling himself off the sofa and heading towards the beckoning kitchen. "Need a drink, yo!"

Lately, the Turk had been drinking and smoking even more than usual. He'd packed away an enormous amount of cigarettes in the week - even for him. He could just picture his lungs shrivelling away from the constant neglect. Oh well! Whatever it took to stay sane.

He grabbed an empty wine glass from the top cupboard and smashed it fiercely onto the work surface.

_Really need to calm down, yo!_

There were so many different wine brands to choose from. Which would he pick? Usually Rude would be there with him to help decide which type to choose, but he hadn't seen much of his best friend recently. That had been his fault though – not Rude's. He didn't want him to start asking questions which he'd be forced to answer in some way or another.

_Guy can see right through me..._

Choosing the most expensive brand out of the lot; Reno tugged it impatiently towards himself and proceeded to remove the cork. It took him a few tries however, because his hands were simply shaking too much.

_This shouldn't be affecting me so badly. Going mad, yo!_

He finally released the fiddly top and lazily poured the drink into the biggest glass he owned. It satisfied him to watch the wine transfer from the bottle and into the glass. He really needed this drink.

_Look at me. Drinking wine - liking men. Turning into a right girl!_

Reno cursed at himself. He would have to buy some beer next time – to prove his masculinity.

He swore violently at himself once more as he noticed his pinky rise when taking a small sip.

_GIRL!_

He still couldn't get his head round the fact that he was attracted to a man. Sure, he had been tempted once or twice before – but only out of sheer curiosity. He had never continuously gone after a guy or been obsessed enough to develop a crush on one. Maybe it was just the charm of Sephiroth? Nobody could deny that he was one of a kind. He was the poster boy for Shinra. His muscles were perfect, his skin was perfect – even his _hair _was perfect.

_Why are you commenting on his hair?_

Groaning to himself; he began running a finger through his own red locks. He had to admit that he liked people with long hair. Sephiroth's silver hair was perfect. He longed to reached out and run his hand –

_Run his hand through his hair?_

"Urgh."

He took a huge swig of wine glass to ease the sudden pain and humiliation he felt. Thank Gaia no one else could tap into his thoughts. His pride would be completely destroyed.

Reno's eyes widened when he realised that the glass was already empty.

He'd only been holding it for two minutes. It wasn't a small glass either.

"Heavy smoker _and _alcoholic," Reno sighed, burying his head heavily in his hands. "What would Sephiroth say to that?"

_Not again..._

"Stop thinking about it!" Reno barked at himself, his voice displaying what could only be described as pure desperation. "Turning into a fucking wuss!"

It was true. Reno really did think that he'd turned into a weakling. He hated having his emotions free to cause havoc. Although the thought of getting with Sephiroth was exciting, he knew that it could never happen. It would only end in tears – and he didn't need that. Then his manliness really would be shattered.

He flopped back onto his comfortable couch and let out a painful sigh. When would this end? When would he get the man out of his head? He hardly even knew him. They had never made the effort to communicate with one another until just recently. So why was it affecting him so badly?

It made him jealous.

Really jealous that Sephiroth had feelings for someone else.

Reno had known for a long time about the General's secret crush, but it had never really concerned or bothered him up until never used to care much for the guy. But now...

Did Sephiroth care for _him_ at all? He doubted it.

But... why else would Sephiroth steal his smokes?

"_I was doing you a favor."_

Had he really meant that?

But, he'd sounded so cold afterwards..

"_I do not care about you."_

Why else would he go out of his way to steal his smokes, then? Why would his excuse be because he was 'doing him a favour?' It didn't make sense. There had to be some part of him that cared; even if only slightly. He had to hold onto that thought.

Deciding to divert his attention away from Sephiroth; the redhead began wondering what had recently happened to Zack. The two of them hadn't spoken ever since Reno had bailed on the mission early. Was Zack pissed off? Or had something just gone terribly wrong with him and that blonde kid?

_I'd called him cute..._

He hoped things had gone right between the pair. Hopefully, he would coincidentally end up bumping into the Soldier in the corridors again at work. Then he could ask him what the current situation was.

Reno got up from his snug position, wishing that he didn't have to move and began heading towards the kitchen for a refill. As he turned into the kitchen, he could have swore he heard a clanging noise coming from behind him. He didn't take much notice though – he assumed it was just the alcohol making him hear things. However, when the noise reoccurred at a much louder volume, Reno thought it necessary to turn behind him and investigate.

_Someone's delivered something._

Noticing the packaging positioned by the door, Reno placed his glass moodily on the table and began slowly walking towards the letter box. It was a fairly large packaging, which had been tied up in the most unprofessional and uncaring way. Reno groaned – was this going to be a prank or something?

He impatiently tore away the brown paper and revealed what looked to him like a crushed cigarette box. It made no sense. Why would anyone -

_Sephiroth._

He opened the lid of the smokes and found the packaging to be completely empty. Well, empty of cigarettes that is. There was a note inside, however.

_Never barge into my office without permission again_

_I'll do much worse to you than throw you out._

_Here are your cigarettes like you asked – now you don't have to visit anymore._

_Keep quiet about what you know._

_If you're wise enough – you'll quit smoking and stop damaging yourself._

Reno finally finished the note and discarded it into the waste bin. Why had Sephiroth personally delivered that? Did this mean that mean he was still close to Reno's place? He had to fight the strong urge to run after the man and demand an explanation.

He came all this way to deliver that.

With the empty smokes...

He asked me to stop smoking again...

Although it didn't necessarily mean anything, Reno still felt a glimpse of hope as he strolled back into the living room with his now full glass of wine.

_He's gotta give a damn!_

That letter had been all he needed for inspiration.

"That's it," he said to himself, drunkenly throwing a toast to celebrate his mission. "I am going to make you want me, Sephiroth. Whether you like it or not!"

With that he hiccupped.

With that he cheered.

But... did Sephiroth really care?

Or was he just desperate to get the Turk off his back and keep his secret safe?

Reno didn't know.

But at that moment in time, he didn't care either.

* * *

><p><strong>Reno, you're turning into a girl!<strong>

**Don't let mean ol' Seph ruin your spirits :( you go get him, tiger!**

**Review...? Please... Desperation... **


	10. Avoiding

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~Re-edited~_

Oh, the things you do for those you care about...

But is Zack really going about this the right way? Can Cloud talk some sense into him?

Chapter Ten: Avoiding

* * *

><p>Cloud Strife couldn't believe it.<p>

He had kissed his best friend! The guy had aggressively made out with his _male _best friend! His first proper kissed had been stolen from him... by a man!

_For the second time!_

He wasn't too sure how we should be feeling about the whole situation.

Ashamed?

Guilty?

Pleased?

Cloud still didn't know whether he felt comfortable with being attracted to a guy. Was it really normal to have such feelings? Before he met Zack, he had never looked at a man in that way before. The thought had never once entered his head. But now...It was all he could think about.

The guy had to admit that he felt a little proud of having someone as strong and looked up to as that wanting him. Regardless of whether he felt unworthy and confused about the man's taste, he still reeled in the fact that he had attracted such a gorgeous role model. The pride he felt overwhelmed the shame. Finally, he had someone who liked him – someone above all the idiots back in Nibelheim! Zack Fair would make anyone alive the most fortunate person, male or female...

That's how he viewed it.

It was bizarre - he had assumed he would always love Tifa. It had onced seemed normal to grow up, find a girlfriend and have children. The thought of being with a man had seemed ridiculous and impossible to him. Come to think of it, he had never actually seen a male partnership. He assumed he would just fit into the large section of straight couples; his dream being to follow in the foots of a stereotype. That dream had now been ruined however, with Zack and his wondrous mouth,

_His tongue..._

Cloud shuddered. He would definitely need time to get use to this whole situation. Although he accepted the fact that he was attracted Zack, the blonde still couldn't get his head around the fact that he had fallen for someone of the same gender. What would his mother say? Would she be as disgusted and taken aback as Cloud imagined she would be? Most likely...

But that didn't matter too much now. He was currently living in the Shinra building, which was an enormously long distance away from his family and hometown. Hopefully, his future return as a Soldier would make his mother proud enough to ignore the fact that her son had gained a boyfriend. Well, if they managed to stay together until that point, that is.

_And, if I actually make it into Soldier._

Cloud was anxious to know whether Zack was thinking about him, too. This was certainly an overwhelming situation, so it seemed normal to be thinking about it above everything else. But... Was it normal to have laid awake, thinking about it all night? Was it normal to get a little upset over the fact it had happened between them? Was it wrong to be scared of the moments to follow?

Had the man felt as good as Cloud had, after the kiss had happened?

He'd thought so to begin with, but...

_The interruption._

The blonde's face reddened as he re-pictured the general barging into the room and catching the two of them in the act. He could not remember ever feeling so mortified in his entire life. Sephiroth had seemed so ashamed and disappointed with them both. Cloud hated that. He'd wanted the General to notice him as a brave warrior and excellent candidate for Soldier; not some lowlife kid who sluttily forced his way onto 1st Class members...

The blonde could still remember how devastated Zack had looked after the interruption. After the two had exited the room in disgrace, the Soldier's face had suddenly darkened and left no hint of his previous cheerfulness. Could the man possibly have regretted what had happened between them?

It puzzled the blonde. How could Zack regret it? He was the one who had lusted after Cloud for months on end. He was the one who had made the first move. He was the one who had kept a... filthy magazine stash to get over him. Was it possible that Zack really was ashamed of what happened?

Cloud didn't understand it.

Maybe he had just read Zack wrong?

... Yeah, that had to be it.

Turning his focus away from the kiss for a while; Cloud decided that he would go for a quick and soothing shower, to clear not only his body, but his thoughts too. He was usually miles away when showering and tended to forget whatever he had previously been pondering about.

Besides, he and a few of the other men had training with Zack later that day. That gave him the perfect opportunity to corner the Soldier and ask him exactly how he felt about the current situation. He'd demand a truthful answer. Also, he wanted an explanation as to why Zack had looked so gloomy after the encounter. Cloud had only felt embarrassment, not regret. However, the only thing wiped across the raven-haired man's face at the time had been... regret.

_Regret..._

* * *

><p>"How you doing, spike?"<p>

Zack felt sudden relief at the sight of his friend, standing smugly before him.

He needed help clearing his head.

"Hey pal," Zack said to him, patting the redhead cheerfully on the back. "I'm doing just peachy thanks. What about you? Feeling better?"

Reno looked confused. "Feeling better? When was I feeling bad?"

"Well, I just..." Zack stuttered, unsure whether he should drop Tseng in it.

"_He just seems a little distracted."_

"I'm fine, anyways," Reno said, shooting the Soldier his signature grin. "Had a few days off to laze around and do absolutely nothing. Should be jealous, yo."

Zack chuckled. "I am. Wish I could have had a few days off to clear my head of any thoughts."

_Oh no... Now he's going to ask questions!_

Reno did just that. "What thoughts, eh? Tell your good ol' pal what's up with you."

"Just random ones!" Zack lied, automatically scratching the back of his head in panic. "Nothing special or anything! Why would there be?"

The redhead smirked at the flustered man. "Nothing to do with that cute kidling?"

_I'm assuming he means Cloud..._

"Course not," Zack spluttered, trying his best to act calm and casual. "Don't be crazy..."

Reno raised his eyebrow in concern. "Thought you liked the kid, yo?"

"I do," Zack said, before quickly correcting himself. "I mean, I d-did."

The redhead looked concerned. "Why don't you like blondie no more? Did something happen?"

_I do... It's just..._

Zack let out a loud and agonizing sigh; staring dramatically down at the floor as he did so. How could he possibly explain it to him? He didn't want to give the impression that he'd just given up the thought without even trying. However, he knew that deep down, that was exactly what he had done. He had good reason to though. Didn't he?

"Someone just made things clearer to me," Zack shrugged, trying desperately to make it seem like nothing. "It can't happen."

Reno frowned. "But why, yo? What does it matter?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

The redhead started to get angry. "Who told you this bullshit?"

Zack stared at the floor in shame. "Sephiroth," he whispered, seeing no reason to lie to the Turk.

Reno's eyes widened. "That guy told you to stay away?"

Zack nodded.

"Don't listen to him, yo!" Reno hissed, stunning the man with his strange enthusiasm. "He can't be thinking he's the big boss man all the time. Sure, if he says something, listen to it, otherwise he'll probably throw you against a wall - but don't let it hang on you. Do your own thing, no matter what he says. Gotta chase your goals, you know what I mean?"

Zack gaped at him.

"What?" Reno snapped, mentally cursing at himself for giving so much away.

The Soldier grinned at him. "There something you want to talk about, buddy?"

Reno panicked. "N-no, course not. Why would there be?"

_Damnit, should have kept quiet..._

"Anyhow, I gotta go," Reno croaked, glancing down at his watch in fake astonishment. "Already getting so behind. Got so much work I have to be doing..."

"It's only 8am," Zack pointed out.

But it was too late. The Turk had disappeared down the corridor.

_What's going on between those two?_

He shook his head. It didn't matter right now. What mattered was that he kept his distance from Cloud, whilst at the same time letting the blonde know that nothing else could ever happen between them. He hadn't even considered the consequences of starting up a relationship with him. If Sephiroth was telling the truth, then Cloud could really end up in serious trouble. That was the last thing Zack wanted. He needed to win over his selfishness...

"Sir!" someone called behind him, making the Soldier leap out of his skin.

He turned round to face a panicky Infantry Man. "Yes?"

"It's t-time for training, sir," the man spluttered, nervous to be facing his idol for the first time.

Zack smiled at him. "Thank you for the reminder, comrade."

The boy's eyes widened at the friendly response.

_He's so nice... And always so happy... He called me comrade... Score..._

However, that was really not the case right now.

Of course Zack had to be friendly. That was just how he was. He needed to make these men feel comfortable around him.

But, happy? He wasn't too sure about that.

Because right now, with no way of avoiding it or backing out; Zack was being forced to go down to the training room and train with some of the wannabe Soldiers.

... Which meant facing Cloud.

_This avoiding mission is going to be more difficult than I originally thought..._

* * *

><p>"Hey Sunshine!"<p>

Cloud groaned as he felt the arms of a familiar man wrap around his muscular frame and pull him into a deep embrace. He tried to struggle from the tight grip, but it was no use. His friend was much too strong for him.

"Nathan!" he snarled, still desperately trying to pull the man off of him. "Get off me!"

His friend simply laughed. "Thought you enjoyed our hugs, lover?"

Cloud groaned at the statement. His friend knew full well that the blonde did not 'enjoy their hugs.'

"Show me love, Cloudy!" Nathan moaned, nuzzling his face into the man's neck.

The blonde snapped at his friend once more... but it was no use. He refused to let go of him.

Deciding to give in; Cloud gazed up at the overcrowded room of men in curiously...

... Which soon turned into horror.

As Cloud gazed up in utter astonishment, he noticed someone glaring in his direction. Someone who was clearly looking right at him.

It was Zack.

When had the man come into the room? The blonde couldn't recall it.

That didn't matter, though. He had seen the two messing around and was obviously not impressed by what was happening. Cloud could practically smell his jealousy.

"Nathan!" the blonde cried, finally pushing the persistent man off him. "Cut. It. Out!"

He didn't want Zack to misunderstand anything...

His friend held up his hands in protection. "Calm down, lover. Was just showing some affection!"

_I'll show him affection!_

Cloud looked hopefully back up at the Soldier; praying that he would re-catch those eyes... but it was no use. The man had already lost interest and began hitching up a conversation with some of the other Infantry. His mood had certainly seemed to change fast...

The blonde pouted. Was Zack ignoring him?

Nathan could see where Cloud's eyes were falling. "That your boyfriend, Cloud?"

The blonde blushed. "E-excuse me?"

"You're staring at him like a lovesick puppy," Nathan laughed, obviously just joking around with him. Cloud still panicked, though.

"Of course not!" he cried, shooting his friend a flustered look. "Don't be ridiculous!"

Recognizing the blonde's obvious delicacy over the subject; Nathan decided to complicate the situation even more for the blonde. It was his job to do so. "Hey!" he cried, waving his hand frantically in Zack's direction. "My friend wants to talk to you!"

Cloud's heart stopped.

"Nathan, what are you doing?" he hissed, grabbing his friends arm and violently pulling it back down. "He obviously doesn't want to come over!"

And Cloud was right.

Completely ignoring Nathan's request; the man shot his hand up in the air and demanded he get everyone's attention. All of the men in the room fell silent and immediately drew their focus towards Zack. The blonde felt proud of him. So many people respected him... He truly was an amazing person – he was lucky to have such a guy as his... his...

... His what?

"Listen up!" Zack exclaimed, circulating the room with his long and pointy finger. "We're here to have fun, okay? But not only that, we're here to get ourselves prepared for any battle we have to face in the future. I want every single one of you to put your all into this. Are you all with me?"

The loud cry of "Yessir!"deafened the men.

"Good," Zack said proudly, finally dropping his finger back down. "Now, let's train."

Now that they had been given an order directly from the instructor; every single man in the room began frantically running towards the weapons unit. They all started pushing and shoving one another impatiently, desperate to get their training started first, so that they could impress 1st Class Zack. However, the urgency only annoyed the already tense Soldier and he marched up to the crowd, unimpressed. He attempted to stop the violent gathering but only ended up getting pushed and battered himself.

Cloud giggled. It was a funny sight to see.

Nathan turned to the blonde and nodded, signalling that it was now safe to approach the unit and pull out a weapon. They knew that only the crappiest swords would be left, but that didn't bother them too much. Better that than get trampled on.

As they advanced towards the stack of weapons; Cloud noticed a Soldier sprawled helplessly across the floor, twitching with annoyance and irritation. He had obviously toppled over from the sheer force of the crowd and was struggling to get back up.

It took the blonde a few moments to notice the fidgety figure as Zack, which only made him more eager to help him up. Maybe they could actually talk now...

The blonde walked merrily over to the man and helpfully held out his hand for him.

"Here you go," Cloud said, smiling happily down at the worked up Soldier. "Grab onto my arm."

Zack would do no such thing.

Much to the blonde's amazement and his own, he cruelly shook away the hand being offered to him and managed to haul himself up. It was a difficult task to do, but he managed to somehow achieve it. He had never felt so reluctant in his entire life...

Once finally back on his feet; the man turned guiltily away from Cloud, who was now staring down at the empty space, dumbstruck.

_This proves it then... He regrets what happened._

"Zack..." Cloud choked, walking over to the Soldier and grabbing his arm violently. "This is all you had to do. I only wanted you to grab my arm not... n-not kiss me!"

The Soldier's eyes flew open in surprise.

The blonde continued. "If you regret what happened, then just say it. Don't treat me terribly when I haven't done anything wrong! You're in Soldier – you're supposed to stand for fairness!"

Zack gazed at him, astounded. The kid never raised his voice to anyone; certainly not in that tone of voice. Was he having a go at him? Was Cloud really that hurt?

The Soldier had to resist the strong urge to tilt the blondes chin up and kiss the anger away.

"Look..." Zack said sternly, releasing the blonde's strong grip from his arm. "We're just comrades – that is all. We are simply two people working together for the same company. We cannot be anything else. That's all that can be said."

With that, he walked off, leaving the blonde frozen to the spot.

_Did Zack really mean that? Had something happened to change his mind?_

After finally choosing what he could simply class as 'decent' weapons; Nathan happily skipped back towards the shattered blonde and handed his friend the better sword of the two. "Here you go."

However, Cloud did not take the sword, nor did he turn to look at his friend.

For once, Nathan didn't ask. He simply stood there in silence.

_Weird..._

Zack was completely shook up too. His face... his face had just been too heartbreaking. He hadn't meant to hurt him – but he had to! It was for Cloud's own good.

Wasn't it?

_Gaia damnit, why now?_

Much to his total and utter annoyance; the man began to feel his phone buzzing angrily in his pocket. This really wasn't the time...

With more force than he had expected, Zack ripped the phone angrily out of his pocket and flipped it open in annoyance. "Yes?"

"Zack," the man said, sounding both urgent and snappy. "My office. Now."

The Soldier groaned in response. "Sephiroth, what's it about? I'm a little busy."

"You know what it is about."

With that, the line went dead.

_Oh Gaia..._

_What else do I have to do to please you, Sephiroth?_

_Don't make me hurt Cloud anymore..._

* * *

><p><strong>Oh Reno, you silly little hot thing :')<strong>

**Why are you being so mean, Zack? You could have explained things a little easier!**

**-laughs villainously.-**

**Cloud... how are you going to cope with all of this drama?**

**And Sephiroth... -.-**

**PLEASE REVIEW. It only takes a few seconds to write something small, srsly T_T xx**


	11. Discussions

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited~_

Zack and Sephiroth have a little talk...

Is the General getting a little too sour for his own good?

Chapter Eleven: Discussions

* * *

><p>Sephiroth held his phone with trembling hands.<p>

He was gawping down at it, urging himself to redial Zack's number and call off the whole discussion. Was it really necessary to have this conversation? All because of the fact that he was jealous of the man's new found happiness? Would pretending like the couple's orientation bothered him really get him anywhere? He didn't think so.

However, his pride would simply not allow him to call off the talk.

Perhaps it was best to avoid the subject and pretend that he had other matters to discuss? That would be difficult, though. He had made it pretty clear on the phone that he wanted to talk about Zack's new found romance. Well, his 'past romance.' He assumed that the man had taken his advice and stayed well away from Strife.

Sephiroth knew very well that the Soldier cared deeply for his friends and would do almost anything to protect them. If he thought the blonde kid was in danger, then Zack would undoubtedly do whatever it took to prevent something bad from happing.

How would Sephiroth have reacted though, if he were to have been told this? If he and Angeal had ever become more than friends, would he have stayed away? Probably not. Then again, he was a much less caring individual than most. Sephiroth tended to be less concerned than his comrades in most situations. He could be blinded by his selfishness, which he was well aware of.

_Certainly aware of it now._

The General re-positioned himself in his seat as he heard the familiar sound of an email alert bleeping from his computer. He had absolutely no idea who could be contacting him. Then again, he never really had any idea. Many people in Shinra seemed to have gained his email address, which puzzled him, as he was very picky when giving it out to people. Some way or another, these prying members of the company had discovered his email and thought it necessary to overload him with information.

Sephiroth flipped up the laptop and clicked curiously onto the flashing info box. The name read 'Tseng.' This bewildered the General. The Turk rarely contacted him.

_From: Tseng_

_Message: Long time, General._

_I have been informed that there will be a mission taking place tomorrow morning. Nobody has been informed about how long the mission will last, but it is believed that it will be ending around Friday or Saturday. The Soldier members and a handful of Infantry Men will be sent on the mission, along with a few of my Turks and yourself. The president had specifically asked that you join the men on this mission. The reason is unknown. However, you will lead the men to what we hope will be success._

_The mission is around Icicle Inn. There have been attacks around the area which we cannot yet analyse and determine who is behind them. You and the other men will be flying in via helicopter, with my Turks controlling the flight. The mission is to eliminate the monsters, remove fear from the town and hopefully find out what's really going on._

_If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email me back._

_Tseng._

Sephiroth frowned. Why was he being sent on this mission, when so many Infantry Men and Soldier members were already going? He assumed it was to give the lower class grunts false hope and a sense of safety. Excellent – just what he liked doing least.

He re-read the last line, shaking his head. Tseng knew very well that Sephiroth would never email him back. He received emails, but never actually sent any himself. Not unless he absolutely had to. Zack had recently tried to keep in touch via email, but the general had abruptly ended that ridiculous idea. If he were to count how many times he had sent an email, the number would be unsurprisingly low.

However, much to his displeasure and annoyance, Sephiroth was tempted to reply to him with a question. He was curious as to who exactly the man was referring to, when he said 'The Turks.' Did that mean the entire unpleasant bunch? Or just a handful of them? Did that mean...

_Will Reno be going?_

Although his curiosity irritated him, Sephiroth still found himself clicking the reply button and typing a long awaited first reply to the Turk.

_From: Sephiroth._

_Message: Which Turks will be accompanying us?_

He kept the message short and snappy. There was no need for formalities here.

Sephiroth lent back on his chair, hoping that he could have a few minutes alone with his thoughts. However, there was no such luck. Tseng's reply came immediately.

_From: Tseng._

_Message: What a nice surprise to get a reply._

_Only the best of the best will be accompanying you._

_Tseng._

Sephiroth growled. Was that it? Was he really going to make it so simple?

He decided that he would ask again, but this time be more specific.

_From: Sephiroth._

_Message: Who will be flying me there? _

As he predicted, Tseng's reply came almost straight away.

_From: Tseng._

_Message: Although I'm not entirely sure why the matter concerns you, I'll still let you know who it will be. _

_I have chosen who I see as the best flier to accompany you. That man is Reno. I hope this information satisfies you._

Sephiroth's eyes widened.

Just as he'd feared – Reno was going to be flying him there.

But... if he'd been fearing the news then, why was his heart racing so much?

He didn't understand and quite frankly, he didn't want too.

_That irritating redhead can do whatever he wants, as long as it doesn't interfere with me._

"I'm here, boss!"

The door swung open and the long awaited arrival finally stood before him.

It was a good distraction from his puzzling thoughts...

"Zachary," the General said coolly, pointing automatically towards the seat in front of him. "Take a seat. I promise that I will not occupy too much of your time, as I am aware that you should be training right about now."

The man nodded in reply.

Sephiroth decided to dodge the original subject. "There will be a mission tomorrow, which both you and I have been ordered to go on. There will be a few Infantry Men and Turks going also."

"Alright!" Zack said, punching his fist cheerfully into the air. "At least I won't be alone!"

Sephiroth cocked his head. "Come again?"

"I just guessed that Reno will be going," Zack shrugged, unsure as to why the man had been confused by his outburst. "Will have someone to talk to."

"That man," Sephiroth growled. "Will have other matters to see to. If he is doing anything besides his job, I will make sure that he gets punished for his incompetence."

Zack decided now was the best time to ask. "What's going on between you two?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well," Zack murmured, staring clumsily down at the general's desk. "It's just... Reno seemed really weird the other day when I mentioned you…"

Sephiroth stayed silent.

"The other day as well," Zack continued. "He barged in and said that you were pretending to care about him, and that you stole from him. Then he was about to reveal something but you stopped him. What's going on?"

Although Sephiroth revealed no fear in his face, on the inside, he was panicking like crazy.

"That is none of your business," he said coldly, sending shivers down the Soldier's spine. "What I do want to know Zachary, is what is going on between you and that Infantry Man."

_Good, I managed to convert the subject._

Zack's mouth flew open. "I knew it! I knew that was why you sent me here!"

Sephiroth simply shrugged at him.

"What has me and Cloud got to do with you?" the Soldier asked angrily, clenching his fists.

The General was used to a bubbly and energetic Zack; not an irritable and defensive one.

"We already discussed this," Sephiroth replied disappointedly. "If you two build that kind of relationship, you will be putting your jobs on the line; especially his. If he wants to get into Soldier, then he will have to be focusing on that and that alone. He does not want distractions and neither do you. Also, I do not think the company would appreciate the relationship, for obvious reasons."

Zack's anger faded into sadness. "But, what does it matter?"

Sephiroth had no answer to that.

"Nobody would have to know either!" Zack pointed out, finally seeing a glimpse of hope for him and the blonde. "We wouldn't exactly make the relationship public."

The General was well aware of this. "I didn't expect you to."

Zack frowned at the unexpected response. "Then what's the problem?"

"If you continue this relationship," Sephiroth growled, shooting the man the most threatening glare imaginable. "Then I will personally alert the company of your immoral conduct and make sure that the boy's chances of becoming a Soldier operative are ruined."

_Why did I just call it immoral? That's not what I feel at all..._

Zack's face shattered at the threat. "But, why? Why would you do that to me?"

Sephiroth did not answer him.

"Sephy, why are you –"

"Do not call me that," the General roared, stunning the man with his sudden wave of anger. "Zachary, you are a member of Soldier and you do whatever it takes to protect that position."

_Is my jealous really that powerful?_

Zack bowed his head in defeat. "If you're really serious then... I have to, don't I? I have to protect him."

Sephiroth felt guilt wash through him.

_He really cares for this silly Infantry Man..._

"Good," he found himself saying. "This talk is now over. I'll see you tomorrow, Zachary."

The Soldier recognised that as a dismissal.

Without any goodbyes or second glances; Zack pulled himself clumsily out of the chair and slumped gloomily towards the door. He opened it weakly with little energy, but managed to gather up some strength to slam the door angrily behind him. Very angrily...

Sephiroth sighed.

_Dear, oh dear._

"How hypocritical of me," he said to himself, burying his head in his sweat soaked hands.

William Shakespeare. O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock

The meat it feeds on.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, we can see that Sephiroth is getting worked up over Reno.<strong>

**Don't listen to him, Zack! He's just a hypocrite!**

**Next chapter will be in five parts - the mission - which means a lot of drama :')**

**Please review... -evil glare.-**


	12. Mission  Part One

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited~_

There will be five parts to this mission. This is part one.

Reno finds himself forced to sit by his biggest desire... Does this mean opportunity for Zack?

Will he finally find out what's going on between the pair?

Chapter Twelve: The Beginning

* * *

><p>"You'll be flying with me, spike."<p>

Zack had never felt such relief in his entire life.

"Honestly?" he cried happily, wrapping his arms around the smirking man. "That's awesome! I assumed they'd shove me in the truck with the other men!"

_Luck is on my side!_

Zack had been worried that he'd be required to travel with the lower class fighters, which he usually tended to do on these types of missions. However, this time round he was desperate to avoid that duty. He had been hopelessly praying that someone would bravely come along and rescue him from the torment. This brave knight had happened to be Reno. The Turk had saved him from the distress he would have had to face. Zack was extremely grateful.

Reno however, was not so enthusiastic. "Yo, whatcha getting all wussy for? It's a helicopter ride."

The Soldier wasn't listening, though. He was far too busy being pleased with himself. This change of transport would be the perfect opportunity to dodge Cloud and eliminate the risk of facing him throughout the entire mission. Score!

The Turk was curious as to what had made him so chirpy. "Yo, why so pleased?"

"I'm not," Zack lied, wiping the satisfied grin off his previously gloomy face. "Why would I be?"

Reno however, was not at all convinced. "Wouldn't be because of that kidling, would it?"

_He can see right through me..._

"Of c-course not," Zack spluttered, finally releasing his grip from the smug man. "Everything's fine between the two of us. We're completely back to normal."

_What the hell am I saying?_

"Whatever," Reno snorted, pulling out his 'lucky' smoke of the day.

Zack frowned at the man.

"What?" Reno whined, sensing the man's obvious annoyance. "Helps me to fly!"

_How, by completely ruining your lungs?_

Zack decided to change the subject. "So, who else is going?"

"Dunno do I? Just got told to wait here for the group."

_The group?_

"Is there enough room for everyone?" Zack asked, concerned. "Not exactly the biggest ride."

What if some of the Infantry Men were being loaded into the helicopter too?

"Of course!" Reno snapped at him, offended by the man's doubt. "This baby is big enough and strong enough for a whole load of people. It's not just any helicopter, yo."

Zack smirked at his worked up friend. "Really need to get laid, pal."

"Oh yeah, cause you can talk! How many people have you recently -"

The Turk stopped abruptly mid sentence.

_No..._

Zack waved his hand in front of the redhead's unmoving face. "Hello?"

It was no use, though. Reno was completely distracted.

_What's up with him? He's not even blinking..._

Zack followed the Turk's gaze and found himself being stunned to silence also.

_Shit, Sephiroth!_

"We're not taking him... are we?" he whimpered, still unable to divert his eyes from the approaching man. Zack really did not need this right now. Was this his punishment for successfully avoiding Cloud? Did someone unfairly think that one piece of happiness was far too much already?

"I think we are," Reno whispered, his eyes full of fear and...

_Got to be reading him wrong?_

...Excitement.

Sephiroth finally reached the baffled pair. "Are we almost ready to go?" he asked casually.

Reno let out a whimper in reply.

Zack simply said nothing.

"Hurry up and finish that cigarette then, Turk," Sephiroth hissed, before climbing into the front of the unoccupied helicopter.

The Turk's eyes widened. He was sitting in the front... that meant only one thing!

"Guess I've gotta put up with the jerk!" Reno sighed, sounding far too happy for Zack's liking.

_Is he pleased about him joining us?_

"Rather you than me," Zack chuckled, patting his friend comfortingly on the back. "Good luck."

With that, the pair clambered inelegantly into the back of the helicopter and joined the rest of the other crew.

When had they arrived? Eh, Reno didn't really care. His mind was already way too boggled. How was he possibly going to cope with all the stress?

_Got a whole flight with Sephiroth..._

He could have sworn that his stomach was somersaulting...

* * *

><p>"What's with your face today, Cloud?"<p>

The blonde scowled up at his friend. "Leave it, Mark."

"Yeah, leave it," Nathan added, receiving a grateful look from the clearly unhappy man. However, that look soon turned into a venomous glare once Nathan had finished his sentence. "He's really pissed off and will only answer your questions with a grunt or girly punch."

Mark laughed. "At this rate, it'll be you on the receiving line."

Nathan shrugged at the warning. "I know. It's always me. All I do is offer him love, and all he does is abuse me!"

The blonde frowned up at his friend. All he does is offer him love? Bullshit. If Nathan really wanted to show him love, then he could at least shut up for a change and leave him the hell alone. Yes, Cloud was moody and yes, he was taking it out on friends. But did they really have to pester him so much?

"If you want to talk," Mark said, shooting the blonde a reassuring look. "You know where I am."

Then, much to Cloud's relief, he went and joined the other men in the truck.

However, Nathan was not so quick to leave. "Now he's gone, you can tell me the problem. It'll be our little secret."

_Does he ever give up?_

Cloud gritted his teeth. "I have already said a thousand times, it's nothing!"

"Nothing?" Nathan snorted, amused by the blonde's attempt to dodge the subject. "If it's nothing, then why are you pouting like a distressed little girl? Why are you hitting everyone in your sight? Why are you usually spiky blondes locks drooping more than – ow!"

Cloud had lashed out at him.

"Why did you do that?" Nathan yelped, clutching his battered shoulder in agony.

The blonde showed no sign of remorse. "Just go away, please."

Nathan did just that.

_I know I shouldn't be taking it out on him, but..._

Cloud sighed. He would have to apologise to the pair of them later. They would almost certainly him forgive him, so what did it matter? They always did. Cloud could always solve problems with his group of friends. But this issue with Zack? He had no idea how to solve it...

_Wasn't even my fault!_

The blonde pouted. What was the guys problem?

He had made the first move on Cloud!

He had asked, "So what happens now?"

He had _clearly _been as interested as him!

So, why was he being so cold towards him? Why had he said all of those terrible things?

Cloud didn't understand it. He wasn't sure he wanted to, either.

At least now he could let his anger out on a few monsters and hopefully stop punishing his innocent friends. Maybe he could question Zack, too? Force him to come clean?

No...

Cloud had a better idea.

_It's genius!_

"Hey, Nathan!" he cried, waving frantically over to his stropping friend. "Over here!"

Nathan immediately got up out of his crouching position and joined the blonde. "Yes, lover?"

"I'm so sorry," Cloud said, gazing up at the man with wide and apologetic eyes. "Can you forgive me for how I acted? I know you were just trying to help and I appreciate it... really."

Nathan raised his eyebrow at him. "What are you after? Why the sudden mood change?"

The blonde licked his lips in reply.

He wasn't going to tell Nathan the real reason.

However, he knew that his friend would be a willing victim in his mission.

_I know exactly how to get to Zack..._

"Let's stick together for these next few days!" Cloud said to his friend, smiling innocently up at him.

Nathan simply shrugged in reply. "Whatever you want, sunshine."

He was going to make sure that the man never once left his side.

For once he was not going to shake off Nathan's irritating clinginess.

Cloud was...

..._going to make Zack so jealous!_

* * *

><p>Reno finally finished his smoke and threw it shakily onto the ground below it. Damn... He was far too nervous. Sephiroth was definitely going to sense his edginess. The Turk didn't want that; not again. Every time he'd been with the man, he'd either made a complete fool out of himself or said the total wrong things. Not this time! He was going too –<p>

"Day dreaming, Turk?" Sephiroth asked, rudely interrupting Reno mid-thought.

He immediately snapped back to life. "Of course not! Just planning the fight is all."

"Well, hurry up. I do not have the patience to sit here for hours whilst you think to yourself."

_Well, I don't have the confidence to just stroll in there and accompany you!_

"Fine!" Reno hissed, grabbing onto the helicopter and clumsily hauling himself in. "Don't blame me though when we plummet to our death. Need time to plan these things, yo."

The General was not at all moved by Reno's speech. "Had time to think last night, did we not?"

_No! Was too busy thinking about you, wasn't I?_

"Whatever," Reno snorted, positioning himself awkwardly in his seat. "Let's just get rolling."

Sephiroth hummed in response.

_Is he always this sensible? __Kinda hot though, I guess..._

"Why are we still not moving, Turk?" Sephiroth growled, once again displaying just how impatient he was; especially when it came to Reno. Although, he wasn't too sure why that was exactly.

Reno immediately started the helicopter up. "Yo, gimme a break!"

"I will not accept sloppiness," Sephiroth declared, grinning slightly to himself.

_Why does this fool always amuse me?_

"Go sit in the back then, yo," Reno snapped, surprising himself with his sudden coldness. "If you're just gonna annoy me, then you can go join the other guys."

Sephiroth found himself being offended by the comment.

_Why am I letting this idiot get to me?_

"As you wish," he said coolly, beginning to un-strap from the passenger seat.

Reno gaped at him, wide-eyed.

He didn't _really_ want him to go – why had he taken him so seriously?

"I-I was just messing yo," the redhead choked, turning his attention back to the flight. "Stay there if you wanna. The company's nice anyways."

Sephiroth paused his actions. "You are very mind boggling, Turk."

Reno nodded in agreement. "Yup, but you love it."

Much to the redhead's amazement, the General did not deny that fact.

_He doesn't really love it... does he?_

Sephiroth quickly realised his mistake. "I suggest you quit making immature remarks."

_There we go..._

"This is gonna be a looooong journey," Reno sighed to himself, uncaring that the General could hear his remark. It was true; the trip was going drag on to the point where it became painful. How had Reno possibly fooled himself into thinking that the flight could be an excuse to get closer to the man? Sephiroth was ice cold and heartless.

"You're tense," Sephiroth pointed out, making the poor Turk turn as red as his hair.

_Damn!..._

.

.

.

_Everyone's asleep..._

Zack was relieved that all of his comrades had collapsed on the flight and caught up with some much needed rest. He wasn't really in the mood for conversation. Sure, he was glad that he'd been forced to travel with the 1st Class Soldiers instead of the other men. But still... he'd rather have been left alone.

_Listen to you, sounding all moody!_

"Bleh," he said, feebly pulling out his mobile from his pocket. This attitude did not suit him at all.

_What am I doing?_

Zack knew exactly what he was doing.

He had been praying that a missed call from Cloud would be displayed on his phone, or even better, an unread text message. However, there was nothing; only his wallpaper staring back at him, uncaring and unsympathetic.

Zack groaned. He needed to change that wallpaper...

It was the picture of him and Cloud.

However, he himself had been cropped out for obvious reasons.

"Why aren't you concentrating?" someone howled in the distance. "You're going to murder us all!"

_Is that Sephiroth?_

Zack assumed that it was. He could distinctly hear the redhead whining back at him.

He wouldn't be able to sleep on the helicopter; he knew that much. Although he hadn't slept at all the previous night, Zack would still rather stay awake and listen to his thoughts than drift off to sleep and risk dreaming about Cloud. At least when he was awake, he could control the thoughts. His dreams on the other hand, might end up displaying something that Zack was trying so hard to block out...

_Me and Cloud. Together._

"Urgh."

Zack could still hear the pair bickering in the front. That was strange for Sephiroth; he hardly ever bickered with anyone. He found it to be extremely childish. The General rarely ever quarreled and in most cases, won the debate. However, to hear the general squabbling without care was extremely unusual. It really did not suit him.

Although he knew it was a bad idea; Zack decided to do something that would hopefully stop his growing curiosity. He _had _to find out what was going on between the pair. Even if it risked being caught by the two of them and getting scolded by Sephiroth himself.

He forced his body out of its comfortable position and crawled sneakily over to the front of the helicopter. Zack could hear the pair much clearer now and realised that they were both discussing something in low voices and whispers. This excited the Soldier. Maybe he was going to find out the dark secret that Reno had mentioned?

Zack must have looked so suspicious behind that door...

"How did you find out?" Sephiroth asked the redhead, turning interestedly around to face the man. "Or more importantly, why did you keep the information to yourself?"

Zack's stomach clenched up in excitement.

This was it!

He was finally going to find out Sephiroth's dark secret.

But... did he really want to know what it was?

_Hell yeah I do!_

* * *

><p><strong>Oh Reno... Stop being so nervous!<strong>

**What is Sephiroth after with him? Is it genuine attraction, or something else?**

**Zack... What will you discover?**

**HA. No one piss off Cloud when he's angry!**

**Please Review... I'll dance round the street naked :') xx**


	13. Mission Part Two

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited~_

The mission will be split into five parts.

This is part two.

Zack discovers Sephiroth's dark secret and Reno's little crush.

Chapter Thirteen: Questionning

* * *

><p>The drama was only just beginning for the two men out front...<p>

"Let me ask," Sephiroth said, turning round to face the redhead. "How did you find out about my secret? Or more importantly, why did you keep the information to yourself?"

Reno was surprised that the guy was even bringing up the subject.

_Thought it would completely bum him out..._

"I was kinda spying on you," he admitted sheepishly, seeing no reason to lie to the man. "I saw you and that Angeal bloke in your office and I got curious, didn't I? So, I watched to see whatcha were doing. He was sleeping, so I thought – fuck this! Nothing's gonna happen. Might as well kill some time."

"That's when I noticed something," Reno continued, unconsciously tightening his grip on the steering. "I watched as you bent down and stroked the dudes face. I was like, yo what's the guy doing? Is the man's skin soft or summin? Then I heard you whisper about how much he meant to you and how you were sorry about what you had been feeling. Then you went to kiss him and, well, I kinda was surprised, y'know? So, I fell back onto the floor and hit something on my way down. It disturbed you and made you pull away. I legged it straight away and never told anyone bout what I saw... Until now, that is."

Sephiroth shook his head in disappointment. "Snooping in other people's business is not acceptable. It was rude of you to stand there and watch me without my permission to do so."

Reno gulped - was the lecture about to start?

"Regardless of that," Sephiroth quickly added, silencing the man with his hand. "I remember hearing something alarming, which caused me to pull away and prevented the kiss. If I had have gone ahead and acted on my feelings, I know that it would have destroyed mine and his friendship. I am grateful that your immature little game prevented me from making such a disastrous mistake."

Reno wasn't entirely sure whether he'd heard the guy right.

He was... grateful?

_Might have stopped him from starting up a relationship with the guy, though..._

"I'm sorry," Reno whispered, truly meaning his pathetic little apology. "I know I shouldn't have been snooping around. I regretted it right after, yo."

Sephiroth chuckled at the repentant man. "This is very out of character for you, Turk. That poor reputation of yours..."

"I know..." the redhead sighed. "You seem to have that affect on me, I guess."

_Why am I admitting this to him?_

"Is that so?" Sephiroth smirked, folding his arms at the embarrassed man.

Reno nodded in embarrassment. "Yeah it is."

_So much for keeping cool and trying to act like I don't care..._

"I appreciate your little crush," the General admitted, causing the redhead's jaw to drop. "However, I have to warn you that I do not and will not return your feelings. I hope I have never given you the impression that there was a glimpse of hope for you. If so, I am deeply sorry for the misunderstanding."

Reno couldn't believe it...

He knew?

_Is this... how rejection... feels?_

"Don't be silly, yo!" Reno cried, trying desperately to conceal his disappointment. "Why would I have a crush on you, man? Don't be so confident and cocky!"

Sephiroth stared deeply into the Turk. Was the fool telling the truth? Or was he just embarrassed to admit it?

"I must have read you wrong," the man shrugged, uncaring either way.

At least, he _thought_ he was unfeeling about the matter.

"Anything else you have to add?" he asked, swiftly moving away from the subject.

Reno let out an ill-sounding noise. "Like what?"

"I am referring to your discovery of my feelings," Sephiroth explained, recognizing the man's clear confusion. "I am curious to know whether you discovered anything else."

The Turk breathed out a sigh of relief.

_Phew..._

"Not really," he shrugged, unable to recall any other similiar incidents. "I guess I noticed the way you looked at him sometimes. You always seemed so protective around him and constantly looked like you wanted to maul the poor bloke. I didn't really give a shit at that moment in time, though."

Sephiroth noticed the little slip up. "You didn't care... _back then_?"

_Shit!_

"Does that suggest you might care about the matter now? Although, I'm not entirely sure why it should concern you."

"C-course not," Reno spluttered, annoyed at himself for blurting it out. "I just mean that it didn't really bother me then and it don't bother me now, yeah?"

Sephiroth shook his head at the response. "I did not ask whether it bothered you, Turk. You are misreading the question."

_... Damnit!_

"Well, I mean," Reno stammered, once again infuriated with himself. "I didn't care back then and I don't care now. You can like whoever you want."

Sephiroth was beginning to see through the redheads lies.

_Could this fool really be attracted to me?_

"Thanks anyway," Reno murmured, desperate to change the uncomfortable conversation. "I mean, for the return of them smokes. Don't know why you did it though."

"Neither do I," Sephiroth confessed to him, shifting away from that strong gaze.

_Dear oh dear, why did I just say that to the boy?_

"Really?" Reno spluttered, astonished. "I thought it was just to get me off your back."

_I did do it to get this idiotic boy off my back – didn't I?_

"Why do you sound so pleased?" Sephiroth asked, cleverly diverting the attention – and embarrassment – back to Reno. "I thought you did not care?"

Reno widened his eyes in horror. "I d-don't."

Sephiroth unhooked himself from his seat. "You sure about that, Turk?"

"O-of course!" Reno cried, panicking as he watched the man rise slowly from his seat. What was he doing? Why was he getting up?

_Just gotta ignore him and concentrate on driving this damn thing!_

However, Sephiroth made that plan utterly impossible.

Without really considering the matter; the general walked slowly over to the Turk and halted behind him.

Bending down...

Lowering his lips towards that reddening ear...

"Prove to me that you do not care," Sephiroth whispered to him. "Show me that I've got it all wrong."

"Ngh..."

He involuntarily shuddered at the tone of voice

_Damnit – what is he doing to me?_

"How do I do that?" Reno gasped, still trying desperately to divert his attention back to flying.

_Yo, this is dangerous!_

"For one," Sephiroth growled teasingly, tightening his grip on the Turk's leg. "You can stop shaking so much and take control of your actions."

The redhead whimpered as he felt the Soldier move his hand up his leg, towards his...

His...

_Is he heading towards my crotch?_

"Damnit," Reno cursed, scrunching his face up as the man got closer and closer to his destination. "Why are you embarrassing me like this? Yo, what's the need?"

Sephiroth chuckled in amusement. "Mission accomplished."

With that, he removed his hand from the Turk's trembling leg and positioned himself back in his seat. He re-buckled himself back in, completely ignoring what just happened and continued to act as normal. The man was certainly a good actor.

Reno managed to choke out a few words. "Why did you -"

"I got my proof," Sephiroth shrugged, turning away from the Turk to gaze out of the window. "That was all."

"Proof?" Reno stuttered, glancing down at himself with uncertainty. "What proof...?"

That's when he caught on.

"Oh shit..."

_I've got a boner! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

"How amusing," Sephiroth mused, staring drearily out the window. "I barely even touched you. What an overexcited response. Then again, I would expect something like that from an individual such as yourself. It must mean a lot for someone like me to even look in your direction."

Reno had never felt so humiliated in his life. "Shut up, man! It wasn't from you!"

"Then who was it from -"

BANG.

_What in Gaia's name was that?_

Sephiroth immediately jumped up; ripping away his safety belt and pushing through the back door. He gave the redhead no time to question his actions. Something had suddenly fallen from behind them, either by accident or... or...

He hoped it was simply by coincidence.

The Soldier flung himself into the back of the helicopter; looking round at the men with uncertainty. Who could have been listening in? They were all fast asleep...

He let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it had just been an object falling.

Satisfied that no one had been spying into their conversation; Sephiroth turned away from the sleeping men and proceeded to rejoin Reno in the front of the helicopter.

However, Sephiroth was wrong.

Someone had been listening.

Someone had been spying.

Someone had been holding back their anger.

Zack Fair forced himself to stay put under the covers - keeping his breathing pattern under control.

His bloodshot eyes had been forced shut and his urge to interrupt the pair and demand answers had been shooed away. Two hands had clenched and torn at the sheets as the desire to show himself had tempted him. The only sounds coming from him was the loud hammering of his heartbeat against his chest.

That can't have been right...

He couldn't believe it...

It had to be a joke. It had to be a simple misunderstanding.

_Sephiroth cannot have liked Angeal..._

_Reno cannot fancy Sephiroth..._

_Sephiroth cannot have just made a move on Reno..._

He wanted it to all be a hallucination. He wanted someone to snap him back to life and reassure him that the past few minutes had all been a simply vision of his.

Had he conjured that entire scene up in his tired and stressed out head?

Of course not...

Everything he had just heard was true.

_I could never have expected that..._

He wished he hadn't let his curiosity win over him.

He wished he had just stayed put in his sitting position and minded his own business!

But he hadn't.

Zack had discovered the truth.

Although completely taken aback by the revelations; there had been something else that had got to the man. Something even more twisted than the General's secret attraction towards his mentor. Sure, the whole ordeal with Angeal was fucking insane, but...

_Sephiroth had called mine and Cloud's attractions immoral..._

Zack couldn't believe how hypocritical his friend had been.

_He had told me I'd get in trouble, when in fact he had already done the same thing!_

Sephiroth had lied to him...

_Had he been jealous? All because he had never gotten a chance with Angeal?_

Zack was fuming.

How dare he put him in such a position, simply because he was envious?

How dare Sephiroth...

..._make Cloud hate him._

Cloud...

Deciding to ignore his current anger and focus on the confrontation later; Zack quickly began brainstorming forgiveness ideas. He had really hurt the blonde - and all for nothing. Two of his friends had feelings towards men, so the company couldn't be _that _against it! He would not allow Sephiroth to threaten him again, for he would simply threaten to blackmail him back. There was finally a way to snap the almighty General.

He had to make it up to Cloud.

Zack didn't care anymore.

Now, nothing stood in his way of this relationship.

Well, nothing besides the blonde's clear grudge towards him.

_How am I going to fix this...?_

* * *

><p><strong>So much tension!<strong>

**Sephiroth you cruel man... Poor Reno! Keep that creature in control, boy! -.-**

**How will you make it up to him, Zack? **

**Review and I will ensure you live a happy life :') x**


	14. Mission Part Three

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~Re-edited~_

There will be five parts to the mission.

This is part three.

Zack begs Cloud for forgiveness – what will the blonde do?

Chapter Fourteen: Forgiveness

* * *

><p>"Yo, we're here!"<p>

The men in the back of the helicopter immediately sprung up - scuffling around in a manic frenzy. Reno had called back to them, meaning only one thing: they had finally arrived. There wasn't a single member of the company taking things slow and patiently. The General would be there! They had to be at their best!

It was only Zack that refused to make an effort.

The rest of the group had been resting peacefully, with nothing to trouble them but the gloomy mission ahead. However, poor Mr. Fair had not been so fortunate. He had been distressing over the current situation with Cloud for almost the entire flight. It was all he could think about after overhearing his two comrades disturbing conversation. He was angry - extremely angry. That had to be dealt with at a better time, though.

All he cared about now, was Cloud.

"Earth to Fair! I said we're here. The baby has finally landed – woohoo!"

_Normally I would be confused as to why Reno is so relieved._

However, the man now knew exactly why the redhead was so delighted with the landing.

Sephiroth had completely humiliated him.

Zack had to stifle a laugh.

"Yo, what you smirking bout?" Reno asked him, bending down to pick up his night bag.

The Soldier forced the laughter away. "Nothing."

"Hmm."

_Something's definitely on his mind..._

Without further question; Reno rapidly turned away from his amused friend and began heading towards the front of the copter. Thankfully, Sephiroth had already jumped down and began making his way towards the Inn, which meant that the redhead could finally regain his previously destroyed pride.

_That asshole..._

"Make sure you've got everything!" Reno hollered back to the men, grabbing onto the side of the helicopter and leaping down onto the snow.

The Soldier quickly followed him. "We're here!" he declared, jumping enthusiastically out of the stationary helicopter.

Reno stared confusedly at him. "Why you so happy?"

_He seemed so stroppy earlier..._

"Just realised something," Zack replied simply, leaving the poor Turk yearning for information.

"What?" Reno cried, running after the Soldier in desperation. "What did you realise?"

Zack turned to the Turk, grinning. "I've been given a second chance."

With that, he turned back round towards the Inn and left the poor redhead even more puzzled than before.

"Second chance with what?" Reno yelled, startling the entire squad of men behind him.

Zack went to further explain the matter, but was interrupted.

"If you keep that noise up," a figure yelled the distance. "The people in the town will be startled as well as the monsters, and our mission will be a failure."

Reno snarled at the man.

_Sephiroth._

"Killjoy," he spat, throwing the man his most deadly look. "Way to ruin my fun - _our _fun."

Zack had been thinking the exact same thing.

Well, and something else too...

_... Hypocrite._

* * *

><p>"Is Cloud in a better mood?" Mark asked his friend, throwing the blonde a wary look.<p>

Nathan nodded happily. "Yup! My Chocobo is in a fantastic mood!"

_Only Zack can call me that..._

"I'm fine now, Mark," the blonde reassured him, tightening his grip on Nathan's willing arm. "Sorry for being so moody earlier. I hate travelling, so it was probably just that."

Mark didn't look the slightest bit convinced. However, he decided it was best not to comment.

"We are sticking together!" Nathan exclaimed, smiling so widely that his cheeks threatened to split. "Isn't that right, lover?"

Cloud resisted the urge to throw up.

"Yeah," he groaned, forcing a similar smile onto his moping face. "Of course."

_Urgh, this is going to kill me..._

"Seems like everyone's arriving," Mark declared, watching as a large group of Soldier's emerged from the top of the mountain. "There sure are a lot of people here..."

"Looks like it," Cloud agreed, confused as to why Shinra had sent so many men on the mission.

_Oh god, there's Zack's friend..._

The blonde watched as Reno appeared out of the distance.

_Oh no..._

As he had rightly predicted; Zack came following seconds after the redhead.

"I'm sick of this place already!" he heard the Turk whine, throwing his arms stroppily around Zack. "I hate how cold it is!"

"Stop whining!" the Soldier laughed, targetting a pretend punch at his moping friend. "You've got me here with you, right? It'll be a breeze!"

Reno gazed at him flirtatiously. "Warm me with your heart, Soldier? Melt the snow?"

_How DARE he flirt with him like that?_

Zack quickly turned bright red. "What the hell was that? Could you be any more cheesy?"

The blonde scowled up at the pair – grimacing as they began howling like two idiots. Was this jealousy he was feeling? No, that wasn't right. _He _was supposed to be making Zack jealous; not the other way round! His mission couldn't be failing already!

"You don't need blondie no more," Reno cooed, edging closer and closer towards his friends burning face. "So whatcha say buddy? Wanna be my lover?"

_Tell him to get off you! Tell him to shut up! Tell him that 'blondie' is waiting for an explanation!_

That's when he realised what Reno had stated.

_He doesn't... want me anymore?_

"Quit messing with me," Zack moaned, pushing away the amused redhead. "I've had a stressful past few days and I don't need you making them worse!"

_Thank Gaia... He's putting him in his place._

"Don't get like that, yo. Was just having a laugh. Gotta pull that stick outta your –"

"ATTENTION MEN!"

Reno fell silent at the disruption.

"Right," the interrupter barked, glancing round at the crowd with an inspirational confidence. "We are here for an important mission. You will be instructed where to go and who to go with. Do not be messing around – we are here for a purpose. If you have any more questions, ask me."

Reno rolled his eyes at that man. "Yo, who's that big shot?"

"Tony," Zack replied, smirking down at his pouting friend. "He thinks he's the big boss around here, don't worry. He'll be put in his place by Sephiroth."

_Typical._

Seconds after the comment was made; the General predictably marched angrily over to the 1st Class Soldier and began lecturing him about his position - completely proving Zack's earlier statement. The timing of it had been perfect.

"That man _really _needs to get laid," Reno snorted, gazing curiously at the worked up man.

Zack turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

_I bet you'd like to be the one to do that, wouldn't you Reno?_

"So, who's giving us these instructions?" Zack asked him. "This isn't a well organized mission."

Reno dived into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. "Me!"

_He can't be serious..._

"You?" Zack choked, taken back by the Turk's sudden authority. "How come?"

"Chillax man," Reno snickered, handing Zack the slip of paper. "I was just told to give this to you. You're in authority here, not me. You've got your own little group of kidlings to lead – so have fun."

_I've got my own little group?_

Zack began to read the slip of paper.

"Oh god..."

Just as he'd predicted, the name Cloud Strife was listed on the information slip.

Reno looked over his Soldier to see what had bothered him. "Oh, you've got blondie! How very coincidental!"

"Uh huh," Zack groaned.

_I'm so nervous about confronting him..._

"He still annoyed about you dumping him like that?"

Zack bowed his head ashamedly, offended by the viscous comment. What was he on about? That wasn't... He hadn't...

"Who dumped who?" he asked, wondering what the hell his friend was getting at. "We were never together in the first place. I just... I've decided to ignore Sephiroth and follow my feelings."

Reno seemed to like the idea even more than the man himself. "Yo, good!" he beamed, victoriously punching his fist in the air. "Sounding all loved up and poetic there."

Zack scowled up at him. "I am _not _loved up!" he snapped, resisting the urge to pout.

_Not much anyways..._

"Whatever," Reno grunted, pulling out his first cigarette since the flight. "Gaia, I've needed this."

"Why?" Zack asked, although already knowing the answer to his question.

Reno however, was still unaware of that. "Just craved it. Sometimes all you need is a smoke, know what I mean?"

Zack shook his head at the question. "No, I don't."

"Anyway," Reno sighed, desperate to avoid another smoking lecture. "You best go and see to those kidlings! Good luck with Blondie, too. The kid looks pissed."

Zack quickly turned his attention towards the blonde who, as Reno had so rightly put it, looked extremely irritated.

Oh Gaia. This was going to be more difficult than he'd originally planned it to be.

"Thanks man," Zack said gratefully, patting his friend on the back, before departing. "I'll try my hardest!"

Reno exhaled heavily in response.

_At least he gets a chance to be with the guy he likes..._

"Argh!"

* * *

><p>"Look Cloud!" Nathan gasped, pointing towards an approaching figure in the distance. "Check out that fine hunk of junk coming our way!"<p>

The blonde sighed at his friend. He could at least _try_ to act a little more straight.

Cloud looked up at the blurry figure and wondered who it could possibly be.

Maybe another Infantry Man?

"Do you think he's our leader?" Mark asked from behind him, gazing unknowingly at the approaching man. "I hope so. He's a decent guy."

Cloud didn't get how Mark could see the guy already.

He could barely even –

_Oh God..._

"Hey, it's that guy from the other day!" Nathan pointed out to them.

Cloud clenched his fists in irritation. "Please... please don't let him be our group leader."

"Why not?" Nathan snorted, looking unsurely down at the panicky blonde. "There's nothing wrong with him is there?"

_You wouldn't say that if you'd heard what he said to me..._

"Good afternoon team!" Zack greeted them, finally approaching the assembly of men. "Who's ready to kick some monster butt?"

All members of the group bar Cloud saluted him in response.

"How's everyone doing?" Zack asked, deliberately resting his eyes on the scowling blonde. "Looking forward to the mission?"

Cloud turned away from those intrusive eyes and folded his arms in a moody manner.

"Let's go then!" Zack said enthusiastically, throwing his muscular arms into the air. "Let's not let our company down! Put your all into it!"

_He's always so bloody passionate about everything...!_

Nathan decided that he would lead the group, much to the blonde's utter relief, and began walking ahead with a smug grin on his face. He loved the authority - being bossy was what he did best. Thankfully, it allowed the blonde to finally get some of his own personal space. He didn't exactly need to make Zack jealous anymore...

Cloud decided to lag behind, to avoid both the Soldier and the other men.

His awful mood had returned and he didn't want it rubbed onto any more innocent people.

However, Zack had others plans.

Deciding to be daring, or perhaps just stupid; he slowed his pace down to a painful speed and positioned himself right next to the reluctant blonde. Cloud quickly glanced up at him with a look of disgust, before resuming his previous task of professional sulking. He refused eye contact... The silence sliced through the pair of them and the Soldier almost contemplated turning around and heading back towards the rest of the group.

_Gaia help me..._

His heart hammered against his chest– his tongue turned dry – his breathing became erratic. What if Cloud rejected him? What if he didn't want him back? What if...

... It was too late?

"I'm sorry!" he blurted out, bowing his head down to the floor in shame. "Forgive me!"

The blonde hadn't expected such an abrupt apology. "Excuse me?"

"I'm really sorry, okay?" Zack whined, forcing himself in front of the blonde. "I messed up, I know. It's really hard to explain, but it's true! Someone told me that if we became a couple it would ruin your chance at becoming soldier and – and I didn't want that! So I pushed you away! I didn't want your dream ruined..."

Cloud stared up at the man, baffled.

Zack _really _didn't know how to handle these types of situations.

"That's why you said those things?" he hissed, glaring up at him with unsympathetic eyes. "You could have just told me what had been said. Then I'd of told you how ridiculous it was, and that I didn't care whether it put my job on the line! Do you know how upset I was by it all?"

Zack's mouth fell open once more. He really wasn't used to this side of the the blonde...

"Why didn't you put it in a nicer way?" Cloud barked, finally able to programme his anger. "Why did you say those things to me? I thought you hated me, Zack! I thought you'd got tired of me! Why did you ever listen to what someone else said? How could you be so stupid? You said... I just..."

Zack couldn't believe the response he was getting. "I-I just."

"Just leave it," Cloud snapped, pouting childishly up at the stunned man. "It's too late now - just forget it."

_Oh no, it isn't!_

Two hands flew out and grabbed the blonde by his wrists – hauling him towards a small gap in the mountain. The determination Zack felt was a thousand times more powerful that the blonde's reluctance. He dragged the man into the dark opening - gripping tightly as he struggled and fought in his strong grip.

"What are you doing, Zack?" the blonde screamed, wriggling and cursing in frustration. "What if someone -"

Cloud couldn't finish, however. The man simply wouldn't allow him to.

Doing what he told himself was the best course of action; Zack bent down to the sulking blonde and forced their trembling lips together.

_You can't just..._

Cloud's eyes immediately widened with both surprise and anger. Did he really think this could solve it? He desperately tried to pull the man away from him – whining as he struggled desperately. The blonde didn't want this. How did Zack think he could just pull him into a dark place and kiss the problem away?

However, much to his sheer annoyance, the man would not allow himself to be pushed away. He grabbed onto the blonde's free wrist and positioned them both at his sides. That wasn't enough though. His left leg flew between the blonde's open ones and forced them wider apart, ultimately trapping his body between him.

Mission accomplished. The blonde was completely locked in.

"What are you doing?" Cloud cried, finally able to break the kiss. "You can't just... You can't just..."

It was no use, though.

The blonde couldn't fight Zack.

Not when those beautiful eyes were burning into him; flashing with both guilt and regret.

Zack rested his head onto the man's and purred softly into the blonde's ear.

"I'm so sorry..."

_I really shouldn't be forgiving him this easily._

"I'm so sorry," he repeated.

_I should be giving him a piece of my mind!_

"I thought wanting you like this would put your job at risk," Zack admitted, still not pulling away from the blonde's shoulder. "But I realised that it didn't matter. I just..."

Cloud managed to choke a few works. "You just...?"

"Want you."

Zack slowly released his grip and stepped away from the smaller figure.

Cloud glowered at the apologetic Soldier.

"Am I forgiven?" Zack asked him, hope apparent in his uplifted expression.

_I really shouldn't let him take control of me like this..._

It was no use, though.

Of course he was forgiven.

"Fine," the blonde sighed, still pouting up at the relieved Zack. "But on one condition."

The Soldier cocked his head. "And that is?"

"Next time you have a problem, tell me first. Okay?"

The Soldier beamed at the bossy Cloud. "Okay!"

_How could I ever stay mad with him?_

"Besides," Zack added, throwing the blonde a mischievous look. "I've realised that boyfriends need to be honest with each other and confront problems as a team."

Cloud released a strangle sentence. "Boyfriends? Are we... do you mean... Are you..."

"If you want to be," Zack answered coolly, making it out to be absolutely nothing.

_Of course I want to be!_

"Yeah," Cloud nodded, finally allowing himself to smile. "I'd like that, Zack."

_Everything's back to normal._

Cloud moved forward to the now happy man; yearning to catch up on a few missed kisses that had been so rudely snatched away from him. Usually he was good at holding grudges, but surprisingly not when it came to the Soldier. This hadn't exactly been his plan - what had happened to the jealousy route? It didn't matter now, anyway. All he wanted was to kiss the past feelings of doubt away. Now that they were... boyfriends... they could do this kind of thing without complication. Well, as long as they didn't get caught that is.

However, Zack had other plans for him.

"Not now," he said softly, holding his hands in front of the disappointed blonde. "People will start to suspect things. We have to go back and act normal. If we stay here, they're bound to smell a rat."

Cloud pouted up at him.

"Don't worry though," Zack grinned, sending an anxious shiver up the blonde's spine. "I'll definitely make it all up to you later – I promise."

_Oh, trust me._

He turned away and immediately began heading back; leaving the baffled blonde to wonder what exactly the man had meant. His body was still emitting fireworks and his stomach had that familiar warm feeling inside. That tone of voice had been so... _sexy. _He had never heard the man sound so seductive.

_What does he mean by, making it up to me?_

What will he do, now that we're... _boyfriends?_

Should Cloud have been concerned about the ravenous look on the man's face?

* * *

><p><strong>I love how Cloud had this whole jealousy thing planned out and just failed at it!<strong>

**How will Zack make it up to him? ;)**

**Warning – the next chapter will be much ruder than previous ones.**

**PLEASE REVIEW. What else must I offer you? T_T xx**


	15. Mission Part Four

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited~_

Cloud finds himself being treated by his... boyfriend.

What does Zack have instore for the overexcited blonde?

Should the pair of them be concerned about a possible intrusion?

Chapter Fifteen: Bathrooms

* * *

><p>Cloud didn't know how much longer he'd be able to stand the teasing.<p>

_Ngh..._

His hands were in his trousers.

Zack Fair's hands had snaked their way into his work boxers!

His movements were light and teasing – delicately gliding over each pulsing vein and throbbing area of skin. Cloud couldn't stand it. He wanted Zack to touch him - grab him - make a mess of him! But he knew that couldn't happen.

It felt weird. This felt oh so weird. The blonde found it embarrassing enough touching himself, let alone allowing anyone else to do it. Why was he allowing such a thing to happen? He was extremely embarrassed, but... It just felt too damn good to stop.

Tired of his own lonesome bunk; Zack had crawled over and forced himself next to the willing blonde. It was a dangerous move, especially seeing as there were other men in the room, but neither really seemed to care at that particular moment in time. He had without warning, slid his hand into Cloud's work trousers and successfully reached his aching target. This was obviously what the man had meant by **making it up to him.**

Cloud had gone to moan loudly; buck upwards as the skilful Soldier worked his magic on his crotch. He knew he couldn't though - so instead he buried his head into the soft pillow and muffled his strangled groans. The urgency and desperation in Cloud's voice made a familiar feeling in Zack's stomach grow and before he knew it he was painfully hard too.

"Fuck, Cloud," Zack whispered, drawing his mouth teasingly towards the blonde's ears. "You're such a tease."

This made the blonde cry out even louder; followed by a rough growl falling from Zack's trembling lips. He loved the reaction he was getting. The noises escaping Cloud's mouth were amazing; almost too much for him to handle. He was finding it difficult to hold back... And he wanted was to grab the blonde and –

"Zack," Cloud gasped, tightly clutching the bed sheets as the pleasure became almost unbearable. "I can't – gonna soon – not here."

The Soldier understood the blondes order and stopped his movements abruptly. Cloud was right; they couldn't finish the job here. The Infantry Man was already insanely loud. Zack feared that the blonde's cries would reach a crescendo when he finally came. That would almost certainly wake the other men up.

"Suppose it can't be helped," Zack teased as he moved his hand away from the twitching member, causing the blonde to groan in disappointment. "Will have to make it up to you another time."

The response he received had been expected.

"No we will NOT," Cloud hissed, staring at the man with determined eyes. "You will finish what you have already started, Soldier."

Zack felt his willpower shatter. "Follow me then."

The two slipped quietly and carefully out the single bed; sweat cascading down their nervous bodies. What if they got? What excuse could they possibly come up with? Cloud could feel his heart hammering against his chest as he silently began creeping towards the beckoning door. Zack was already stood there, waiting for the blonde to approach him and lead the way. It seemed to take him a million years for him to tip-toe over.

The blonde shot him an impatient look as he finally reached the door; urging him to lead them out of the room and finish the job. The Soldier snickered to himself and pulled down on the handle slowly and quietly. The door opened with ease and the two were led out into the long and narrow corridor.

"Where are we going?" Cloud asked, still painfully hard from the attention he'd been given.

Zack grinned at him mischievously. "So, I'm choosing am I?"

The blonde glared in reply. "If you keep joking," he hissed at him. "I'm going to chop yours off!"

The man needed no more threatening.

He somehow decided in the spur of the moment that the best place the two could possibly go to was the public bathrooms. It was the _only _place to go. Although he didn't like the thought too much, he was far too worked up and desperate to care. The bathrooms were extremely hygienic, so there was no risk of being put off by bad sanitation either. It offered privacy and opportunity - but also the thought of being caught, which made him nervous... but also drove him _crazy._

Cloud let out a loud yelp as he was grabbed and hauled into the deserted bathroom.

His eyes widened momentarily as he began to recognise his surroundings, but had no time to comment as he was dragged roughly into a cubicle by the impatient Zack.

_Gaia..._

The Soldier forced the blonde against left the solid wall; urging him to stay still as he fiddled aggressively with the lock. It seemed to take hours to obey them and actually slide in place. Impatient would have been an understatement to describe the breathless pair. Finally, it worked and the two men were at last satisfied with their safety. Neither seemed to mind about their surroundings anymore.

Zack pushed his body violently against the blonde's; whispering lustfully into his blushing ear. "You want this, Cloud?"

The blonde groaned eagerly. "Just do it, Zack. Please!"

The Soldier laughed lightly to himself. He wasn't going to let the blonde off that easily. That would be far too easy, wouldn't it? No, he had to tease.

Selfishly fooling the blonde; he pulled down the now overstretched trousers to the floor and greedily tugged down the blue pair of boxers. The blonde let out a satisfied groan and urged him to continue with his mission. It was so difficult not to just drop to his knees and swallow that thing whole...

"Urgh," he shuddered, glancing up and down at the man's body. "You really are perfect."

Cloud blushed with both passion and embarrassment in reply.

Zack wasn't sure what to do with him. What gift could he give the blonde? What was the best way to make it up to him?

_If it's just my hand, I can hear his moans directly in my ear._

That settled it.

Zack finally pulled down the blonde's boxers to his ankles and began trailing wet kisses up his neck, intentionally avoiding the single area that Cloud wanted him to focus on. The blonde threw his hands into the Soldier's gel-filled hair - gripping tightly to the point where it became painful. He began kissing, caressing, nibbling - continuing with his teasing act, which was clearly infuriating the man.

_Gaia._

Zack was forced to pull back as the blonde's grip became impossible to bear. Who knew the guy was so aggressive? He lightly licked his lips and stared amusingly down at Cloud's flustered face. The blonde threw him a pissed off look in response and demanded he continue his work.

The Soldier grinned as he obliged the boy and slowly began peeling Cloud's shirt off; revealing a perfectly toned and smooth body. His enjoyed this greeting. The blonde's body was completely in proportion. He could stare at that chest all day long...

"Yours, too," Cloud ordered, pointing impatiently at the man's shirt. "Remove it."

Zack happily followed the command and pulled off his own shirt to reveal toned muscles and tanned skin. His abs rippled beneath him – causing the blonde to drool involuntarily. Zack's body was truly unbelievable. It was almost as if a model had stepped right out of a catalogue...

"Gonna stare all day Chocobo, or want me to keep going?" Zack chuckled.

Cloud didn't enjoy being teased.

He unexpectedly clutched the back of the Soldier's head and pulled him into a deep and violent kiss. Zack grunted in response – slowly kissing back with equal fervour. Their lips began throbbing from the attention, urging them to stop their act and let them rest. They didn't listen, however.

The blonde gasped loudly; squirming beneath the man as he felt his body spasm.

His hand... His hand was on his... His...

Zack quickly removed himself away from the member however, and decided to concentrate more on the kissing. Cloud was getting really worked up now and even his kissing was messy and uncontrolled. The man loved how badly he was affecting the guy. He wasn't even properly touching him yet!

The blonde decided to take control - weaving his tongue into Zack's willing mouth. The Soldier unintentionally bucked against him, wincing as he felt an impatient hand grab at his crotch. This wasn't right.

No way was he letting Cloud lead.

Much to the blonde's utter displeasure; he guided his hand back towards the wall and kept a tight grip on the man's wrist. Cloud reluctantly decided to stick with the kissing and felt himself once again fighting for domination. He moaned loudly into the man's mouth without care, causing the Soldier to grow to a length even he himself thought impossible...

_He makes so much noise. But Gaia, it's hot._

Zack drew back to nibble on the man's lip; making his already throbbing lips tingle with overuse. The blonde quickly pulled him back into his mouth though, yearning to feel his lips against his. He didn't want teasing or separation, not now - no matter how good it felt.

The Soldier slowly began to realise that Cloud'd had just about enough of teasing and was desperate for the attention to travel... someplace else. It was digging impatiently against his stomach; screaming at him to relieve some of the pain. Zack was fed up of teasing too – he wanted to hear the blonde moan louder; see his face fill up with pleasure.

Without any hint or sign of warning; Zack abruptly released his hand from Cloud's now sore wrist and wrapped it instead around the throbbing member. The blonde bucked forward unintentionally, almost causing the man to let go of his current possession. He hadn't been expecting such a passionate reaction...

_Man, he's worked up._

Zack lowered himself towards the blonde's blushing ear and whispered roughly to him.

"You like that, baby?" he growled, slowly beginning to pump faster... tighter... harder.

"Ngh," was his response.

Cloud could hardly handle it. Having the man whisper dirty things in his ear at the same as driving his hands up and down his cock – it was just too much. He was going to come soon. The familiar feeling began to rebuild up as the man rammed harder against him.

"Zack, I-I'm gonna... Can't... Ggh."

The Soldier let out a satisfied growl and continued his fast motions. He allowed his hand to brush over the head a couple of times, making the worked up Cloud scream out in pleasure. The blonde was making so much noise right now... His moans were bouncing off the walls and were threatening to make Zack lose control. Of course, Cloud's reaction was satisfying, but... It still didn't stop the ever growing bulge he had from being painful against his jeans.

"Zack!" Cloud cried, causing the already satisfied Soldier to grin like an idiot.

_He just said my name!_

He knew that Cloud was going to explode soon.

Tightening his grip and making sure to concentrate more on the pulsing head, Zack began to... To...

_What was that?_

There was a noise...

There was a noise coming from outside the cubicle...

Zack forced himself to stop his speedy movements and urged the blonde to be quiet.

_This has to be a joke..._

Cloud groaned painfully in response - throwing his head back in frustration. Zack wasn't too bothered at that moment in time, though.

Somebody had just entered the bathroom.

The blonde wasn't about to let the interruption stop him from getting what he deserved. They had gotten too far to just pull out now. Tugging the man roughly towards him; Cloud grabbed the Soldier's member desperately and purred into his ear. "Keep going, Zack. You're so close. I'm so close... Please."

_Oh Gaia... He's going to be the death of me!_

Zack's excitedness took over his fear and without a second thought he slammed Cloud back onto the side of the cubicle and continued his steady motions. The blonde immediately let out a loud squeal of pleasure - panicking the already tense Soldier. Obviously the other man in the bathroom could hear.

Deciding it was the best thing to do; Zack hurriedly pulled down on the toilet chain and hummed in approval as a loud and agonizing noise echoed throughout the bathroom. It temporarily drowned out Cloud's moans, which pleased the worried Soldier.

He had to finish now... It was now or never.

"Ngh..."

Zack began pumping at a speed which he had previously thought impossible – scrunching his face up in utter concentration. He could hardly feel his hand moving. All he could feel was the tightening grip on his arm, as the blonde grew closer and closer. Those noises... Gaia, how could anything sound that good?

Cloud threw his head onto the man's shoulders - panting desperately against him skin.

The Soldier growled at the reaction and continued to purr into his ear. "Does this feel good?"

The blonde whimpered; digging his head harder into Zack's shoulder.

He was close, so so close...

"Cloud..." Zack whispered, panicking now as the flush grew quieter. "Let it out..."

That did it.

Finally, after fearing the worst, Cloud's body filled with the familiar sensation that he had so badly missed.

"Z-Zack..!"

The Soldier quickly held him up - clutching tightly on the blonde's hips as the orgasm played through him. His salty emissions sprayed over Zack's naked stomach, which temporarily embarrassed him, until the pleasure was able to drown out any humiliation. He swore he could see stars... Cloud had never felt such an amazing release. Whimpering into Zack's shoulder; he pushed wealky into the man's stomach as the fireworks slowly began exiting his body.

_That felt amazing..._

"Better, baby?" Zack grinned mischievously, reaching over to the toilet paper to clear off the white stain.

Cloud blushed deeply. "Oh god, I'm sorry Zack."

"Don't worry," he laughed, mopping away the large stain. "Doesn't bother me."

As the feeling slowly vanished from him; the blonde began to take in his surroundings more... grasping onto the fact that they were doing this...In a bathroom.

"How very unromantic!" Cloud snapped, pouting moodily at the amused Soldier. "Could have chosen a better location!"

"Sorry sir," Zack laughed, holding up his hands up in defence. "You were desperate, though!"

_You're fault!_

Cloud abruptly froze as he remembered the earlier interruption. "Did they leave?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah, I heard them leave earlier."

_Phew..._

"Let's go get some sleep then!" Cloud exclaimed happily, beginning to reopen the difficult lock.

_Now _the embarrassment was beginning to play out.

He needed to sleep this whole thing off and embrace it in the morning – as good as it had felt, it still seemed... strange.

Zack groaned at the man's dismissal. "That's not fair."

_Woah!_

The blonde gasped in shock – his eyes widening as the overexcited Soldier pushed his stomach roughly against his back.

He could feel it...

That enormous lump in the man's crotch was still very much awake.

Cloud winced uncomfortably as he felt himself pushed against the cubicle door. What was he doing?

"I'm assuming you will leave this unattended?"

_Ngh._

"You teased me earlier, so I will tease you!" the blonde giggled, wriggling away from the man's tight grip. "You deserve it for what you did."

Zack sighed in defeat. "So unfair."

_Another time, definitely, _Cloud thought to himself. _When we're not alone in a toilet cubicle..._

"This won't be the last time..." Zack purred, lowering his mouth towards the blonde's ear. "That I'm stood behind you - this hard and this worked up. Next time, I'll get my way, and trust me, you'll get a lot dirtier than this..."

Cloud blushed furiously. "Zack!"

He finally opened the infuriating lock and escaped from the embarrassment that the Soldier was giving him. Sure, it was going to happen. But to put it like that? In this situation?

That was supposed to be the end of the drama...

They should have happily gone back to bed and slept in peace...

_What the?_

Cloud was far too busy being embarrassed to notice anything unusual going on.

He was far too busy daydreaming to notice the figure looming threateningly over him.

There was too much in his head for him to grasp what was really happening.

Zack however, was not so distracted.

"What are you doing here?" Zack choked, gaping in disbelief at the figure before him.

_Please, no..._

Cloud finally snapped back to life and gazed at the scowling figure before him.

Gaia no...

The person from earlier hadn't left... They were still here... The person had heard EVERYTHING.

"I was doing what most people do in these places," was the man's reply.

_No..._

This couldn't possibly be happening.

_... Sephiroth!_

"Why were you stood outside the cubicle?" Zack choked, still unable to take it all in.

"I was about to leave," the General spat, glaring nastily at the stunned blonde. "Then I heard you two together in the cubicle and got suspicious."

Cloud was about to die from embarrassment.

"You promised!" Sephiroth barked, stepping menacingly towards the pair of them. "You told me there would never be anything going on between the pair of you!"

Cloud gazed down at the floor – unable to make or keep eye contact.

_Why should it matter?_

"I was going to keep to my promise," Zack snarled, shooting back an equally hostile look. "But then I heard you and Reno in the helicopter and I changed my mind."

Sephiroth's mouth sprung open.

Zack wasn't finished, however. "Hypocrite."

That wasn't enough, though...

He needed to make more of a scene – he _needed _to let his anger out.

The Soldier irritably walked over to the unsuspecting blonde - forcing them both into a pathetic kiss. His touch was far too rough and his eyes were cold and uncaring. It wasn't nearly as passionate and meaningful as usual. The reasons had been selfish and childish, to prove a point to the man. Cloud knew that, but still...

_His expression frightens me._

Zack broke off the kiss as quickly as he'd started it; turning back to the bewildered General. "Do not tell me to stop seeing Cloud simply because he is a man," he barked at him. "I listened to your conversation earlier and I know exactly how you felt towards Angeal. I also know exactly how you feel towards Reno, too."

Then, without a second thought or chance to reconsider, he grabbed Cloud's unwilling arm and dragged him violently out of the bathroom. His hold was painful and his actions were horribly forceful. The blonde didn't care, though. He was more concerned about what had happened between Sephiroth and Reno. Why was Zack so mad?

"Hypocrite," the Soldier hissed to himself, still keeping his grip on Cloud tight. "Absolute hypocrite...!"

* * *

><p>The General stayed frozen in the bathroom; unable to programme what he'd just heard.<p>

Zack had heard his and the Turk's conversation?

No, he couldn't find out... He wasn't supposed to ever find out.

What had he meant about his feelings towards Reno? There were no feelings there. He was just teasing his to get revenge... wasn't he?

"NO!"

The General turned himself towards the bathroom mirror – violently slashing his sword into the helpless object. The glass shattered instantly and fell down onto the marble sink. Breathless... He was absolutely breathless. Sephiroth felt himself panting and trembling. Where was his cool composure now? What would his little fanboys say to this?

He felt angry... _insanely _angry. Betrayed, too.

Zack was his friend – he was supposed to understand him and be on his side no matter what. He was supposed to willingly follow his orders!

But, who was left on his side now?

Reno?

But... how did he feel about him?

Could he really care for such an idiotic man?

Sephiroth gritted his teeth. Things were just far too complicated right now.

_Where are you, Angeal? I need you. I miss you..._

* * *

><p><strong>Nice bit of foreplay there :L<strong>

**Yes, I know, it's in a bathroom. Not the most hygienic place..**

**And I know, there was no lead up but... sdkfhifh.**

**Review... Or you will be punished :')**


	16. Mission Final

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited~_

Short chapter - the final part of the mission.

Chapter Sixteen: Confusion

* * *

><p>The breathless pair finally reached the bedroom door.<p>

_Feels like my arms about to rip off..._

"What was all that about?" Cloud finally asked, gazing up at the angered man in concern.

The Soldier shook his head dismissively. "I can't tell you that, I'm sorry."

Cloud was unsure how to react to his... rejection.

_Zack never gets this mad._

Even his hands were shaking from the extreme anger he was feeling.

"B-but," Cloud choked, desperate to know what was going on. "Earlier, you said that err... people... in our situation... um... share everything..."

Zack stared at the blonde apologetically. "I wish I could, but... It's not my secret to tell."

Cloud stared miserably down at the floor.

_I want to see him smiling again..._

"What's wrong, Chocobo?" Zack asked, wrapping his arms around the trembling man. "It's not your problem – don't let it get to you."

"I just hate seeing you upset," Cloud admitted, gazing at the Soldier with worried eyes.

Zack smiled down at him. "I'm not upset kiddo – I'm actually very happy."

_Don't seem happy..._

Cloud frowned at the response. "But, you look so angry..."

"That's because I am," Zack admitted, still amused by the blonde's concern. "I'm far happier than I am mad, though."

"You're sure?" Cloud asked, unconvinced.

Zack nodded truthfully. "I'm very sure. Now, I think we should go back into bed."

The Infantry Man approved of this idea and pulled down slowly and carefully down on the door knob in front of him. Luckily, the two were greeted by sleeping men, who had no idea of their comrade's earlier disappearance. No idea of the drama they had faced.

No idea that the two of them had just broken thousands of company rules...

"Sucks you can't sleep in my bed," Cloud sighed, crawling moodily into his lonesome bunk. "It's strange being so close, yet so far."

Zack chuckled at the blonde's tone of voice. "Certainly does; but we have lots of time to make up for that."

Cloud blushed once more.

"Not like that!" Zack gasped, taken aback by the dirty response. "I was talking about just sharing a bed and sleeping in it! N-not anything more!"

Now the blonde just felt stupid.

"Sorry," Cloud mumbled, embarrassed by his misguided reaction. "I j-just thought you meant..."

Zack shot him a playful look. "Although, I'm happy you're considering it."

_He looks ready to pounce on me..._

"Well, n-night!" Cloud stuttered, unsure what to say back to the now smirking man.

_What does he have in store for me?_

_My... boyfriend._

Zack tittered at the flustered reaction. "Night, Cloud."

He closed his aching eyes and smiled happily to himself.

_Embarrassed Cloud is adorable!_

He wouldn't focus on the Sephiroth situation... not yet.

For the first time in a long time, he was going to go to bed feeling satisfied, knowing that a much needed sleep would finally be awaiting him.

Now that he had a... boyfriend.

* * *

><p>"So, what happened yo?" Reno asked, staring at his friend with evident impatience.<p>

Zack poked his tongue out at the redhead. "Who said it's any of your business?"

_Can't have gone too badly, then._

"You're smiling," Reno pointed out, causing the pleased expression to vanish. "It must have gone pretty good; otherwise you'd be sulking, like you were yesterday."

"I was not sulking!" Zack whined, scowling up at his amused friend. "You're not supposed to be able to guess this easily! You're meant to be kept in the dark and get irritated by the lack of information!"

Reno smirked at him. "Try and hide things better – you're too easy to read."

_Asshole..._

"I'm a Turk," Reno reminded him, aggravating the poor Soldier further. "It's my job to work shit out, remember?"

Zack hummed to himself.

_Worked that one out in the helicopter..._

"So, the mission finished earlier than expected?" Zack asked him, glancing confusedly around at the large group of men. "I thought it was supposed to last for days?"

"It was," Reno shrugged. "But we found the problem earlier than expected."

"Oh..."

_Hardly got to get any action..._

"Don't worry," Reno said comfortingly, patting his friend gently on the Soldier. "I'm sure you can let your fighting spirit out on that kid in the bedroom – I-I mean, training! Training room is what I meant!"

Zack rolled his eyes at him. "What's going through that perverted head of yours?"

"Yo!" Reno laughed, holding his hands up defensively. "I don't swing that way."

The Soldier snorted at the response.

_Such a terrible liar..._

"What's so funny?" Reno asked, intentionally blowing the smoke in the man's direction.

_Can't let him know what I heard..._

"Nothing," Zack quickly lied, waving away the circle of smoke. "Stop it, Reno!"

The Turk laughed. "Yo, chill down."

_What's that shouting about over there?_

The pair turned to the left of them.

"Woah, I take that back yo," Reno snorted, pointing to an angered man in the distance. "_He's _the one that needs to chill."

Zack agreed.

_Boy oh boy... Sephiroth._

The man was raging at a poor group of innocent Infantry, who had absolutely no idea what had set the man off. The General himself wasn't too sure either. He was just so... livid... about everything that had happened with Zack and Reno. He had nothing against these fools, but...

"Hurry up!" he roared at the frightened group. "We have not got all day to mess around!"

He turned away from the stunned men and flounced off.

"Oh dear," Reno snorted, not sounding at all sympathetic towards the man. "What a mess."

Zack shrugged uncaringly. "Suits him right."

Reno nodded in agreement.

_Clearly someone else is mad at him too._

"Hey, is that your phone going off?" Reno asked, pointing to the man's front pocket. "Pick it up – the noise is driving me crazy, yo!"

Zack did just that.

_Hm?_

Strange... The person just hung up on him.

"Come on, yo!" Reno shouted down from the copter, pulling a rope down for the Soldier. "Grab onto it! Apparently it's urgent we leave now. Flying with style, yo!"

Zack finally allowed himself to laugh and grabbed onto the swinging rope.

He was instantly raised into the air and forced to struggle up into the copter.

_This is such a rush..._

One of the Soldier's help haul him in; unimpressed by the fact that the man was actually enjoying himself.

"What an entrance, eh?" Reno chuckled, patting the empty seat next to him. "Come sit."

_Something's weird..._

That's when he realised. "Where's Sephiroth?" he asked worriedly.

Reno's face immediately darkened. "He took a flight with someone else..."

"Oh..."

_Looks like I got to him yesterday... Good._

"So, it all went well with the blonde?" Reno quickly asked, ultimately changing the subject.

Zack turned away from the intense stare. "I guess so..."

"Can finally cure that sex drive," Reno snorted. "Unlike some of us..."

"I'm not rushing into anything..." Zack said firmly, gazing longingly out of the window.

_All in good time..._

"What a moron," Reno snickered, shooting the man a disappointed look. "I'd be right in there. He's a cutie!"

_Don't call him that!_

"Yeah he is," Zack shrugged, refusing to allow his jealousy to take over him.

Reno glanced over to the man - ready to add in a second remark - before frowning. Something unfamiliar had caught his eye. What on earth...?

"Yo, grab that," he ordered, pointing over to a piece of paper in front of the Soldier.

Zack picked it up without question.

"What's it say?" Reno asked suspiciously. "When the hell did that get put there?"

It said: _My apologies._

_You confuse me far too much. I have taken another flight back._

_I honestly don't know how to function around you._

"Who d'you think wrote this?" Zack forced himself to ask, knowing full well who it had been.

Reno swallowed loudly.

_Sephiroth..._

_He doesn't know how to function around me?_

"Dunno," he lied, trying his best to conceal his amazement. "Throw the paper out."

Zack followed his order.

_Wonder what Sephiroth meant by that..._

_Is it possible that he might like Reno too?_

"Huh?"

Zack felt his phone begin to buzz in his pocket... Again.

Groaning, he pulled the vibrating mobile out of his trousers and prayed that it wasn't another prank call. He wasn't up for that strangeness again...

Luckily, it wasn't.

_From: Cloud_

_Message: How are you?_

_I went to see you but you'd already left._

_Can I... see you later?_

_Cloud._

Zack smiled happily down at his phone.

He'd love that.

Imagining him at his apartment with Cloud, his boyfriend, together...

He couldn't remember feeling this happy.

"No need to ask who that was," Reno said teasingly. "You look like a school girl that's just been asked out on a date - fucking wimp."

For once, he didn't bother to argue with the man...

_So what if I'm happy?_

* * *

><p><strong>I know, It's a very simply chapter - n<strong>**othing really happens.**

**But there's definitely more to come! Much more drama!**

**A lot more Zack and Cloud cuteness.**

**Much Sephiroth questioning himself and Reno too.**

**... Review -.- x**


	17. Togetherness

Togetherness 

**Big thanks to everyone who's favourite this story. Or put it on their subscriptions or alerts.**

**Makes me extremely happy.**

**This is quite a romantic chapter! **

Reno walked confusedly into his office.

Something was different.

_Everything is different..._

Nobody was there.

Rude's chair was empty. Cissnei's chair was empty...

"Where is everybody?" he whispered to himself.

It was extremely unusual for the office to be unoccupied. Usually, the redhead's partner would be sat coolly at his desk, wearing his typical sombre expression and dark sunglasses. The female member of their little gathering tended to be there too – Cissnei – irritating poor Reno and making his life a misery.

_Not used to walking in here without her making a snide remark..._

Reno was freaked out. He did not like being so alone.

Deciding it was the best thing to do; the redhead pulled out his mobile phone and called the first number that came to mind: Tseng's. Surely he would be able to explain the sudden disappearances? However, the call immediately cut off and Reno was left with a further string of silence. That was bizarre... the boss always answered his phone. He was unbelievably organised, to the point where it made Reno exasperated. Something weird had to be up...

"Where is everybody?" he repeated to himself, gazing around the vacant room with uneasiness.

_I hate being by myself..._

However, much to his utter surprise, he was not alone.

"Reno."

The redhead swivelled round at lightning speed and came face to face with his object of lust.

_Sephiroth..._

"...What are you doing here?" he asked, his heart rate quickening to a fanatical speed.

The silver-haired man stepped forward. "I came to talk to you."

_It's suspicious that he arrives when nobody else is here..._

"Where are they?" Reno asked, backing away from the approaching Soldier. "Yo, answer me!"

Sephiroth simply chuckled. "Don't panic, Turk. They are safe."

_What have you done with them?_

"Where have you taken them?" Reno spat, starting to feel really troubled about the situation.

Sephiroth smirked.

_He looks damn sexy with that expression._

"I have simply distracted them," he growled, reaching out his hand and grasping Reno's tie. "Now, don't be shy. I came to talk to you. It's extremely rude to back away from someone in my position."

Sephiroth began pulling Reno towards him, frightening the Turk with his sudden passion.

_What has gotten into you?_

"Yo, what are you doing?" Reno choked, unable to struggle his way out of the strong grip.

Sephiroth licked his lips. "I thought this is what you wanted?"

_Well, of course it is!_

"But, why the sudden mood change?" Reno asked, still unsure whether the man's actions were false or not. Could he really be serious about this? Was he really into Reno?

_Sure as hell looks like he is!_

Sephiroth simply shrugged. "I got tired of pretending."

Reno swallowed loudly. He was now positioned right in front of the man.

"You said you didn't want me..." he whispered.

"I got tired of pretending," Sephiroth repeated, delicately running his thumb over Reno's trembling lips.

The redhead never thought this possible. "What about that Angeal bloke?"

Sephiroth's eyes flashed with excitement. "I no longer care for him."

_Hold on a minute..._

"I'm not just a replacement, am I?" Reno asked warily, praying that the man's answer would be no.

Sephiroth shook his head. "Of course not."

_Get in there!_

"So... what now?" Reno gulped, unsure how to react to the sudden attention.

Sephiroth grinned at him impishly. "What do you think?"

With that, he roughly cupped Reno's chin and slowly began nearing towards his target.

_Shit... I've done it!_

"Is this really happening?" Reno said out loud.

Sephiroth sniggered. "I hope so."

_I knew I'd get you in the end!_

Closing his eyes, Reno began puckering his own lips, waiting anxiously for the man to finally reach down to him. He couldn't believe it... How amazing was this opportunity? He'd actually been able to win Sephiroth round! The guy actually wanted him!

Letting out a frustrated moan, Reno opened his glowing eyes, hoping to see the man edging closer towards him. What was taking him so long? Sheesh, did he have to tease so damn much?

That's when Reno realised.

He was no longer in the office.

Sephiroth was no longer stood in front of him.

He was lay down – on his bed – in his bedroom.

_You've gotta be shitting with me..._

He blinked his eyes furiously to check that it wasn't all an illusion.

But no luck.

What he had just witnessed and been a part of... had been the illusion.

"It was just a dream..."

...

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU –"

.

.

.

.

Zack felt like a dim-witted school girl.

For the past few hours he had been scurrying round his house, picking up various pieces of junk and cleaning every object in sight. He was nervous... utterly nervous. But why? Cloud had been to his place before. Sure, the last time had been undeniably embarrassing and altogether a terrible experience, but this time would be different. They were together now... They were...

_Boyfriends._

Zack shuddered at the thought.

Wow...

He could never have imagined that he would get together with Cloud. It seemed almost impossible. Zack never thought for a second that the blonde would ever return his feelings.

But he did.

_Think of what you did to him in the bathroom..._

Zack let out a deep groan. It was going to be hard to keep his hands off the boy.

_Urgh..._

He had to calm himself down.

He felt like a school girl on a first date – panicking about what to wear and how to look!

_If only Reno could see this..._

Zack had contemplated calling up the Turk and inviting him round to calm his nerves. He had decided against the idea, however. The guy would have almost definitely stayed around when Cloud arrived to embarrass him, which Zack really did not want.

After gazing blankly at his wardrobe for five minutes, Zack finally decided that he would wear a plain white shirt and some faded jeans. Casual – that was okay, right? Hopefully Cloud would appreciate what Zack was wearing.

_What does it matter you idiot?_

The blonde had seen him many times before. He had watched him in battles, sweating endlessly and pulling the most ridiculous faces. He had seen him in the morning, grim faced and extremely tired looking. So, what did it matter now? Zack felt like a teenage girl, with all the preparation he was doing.

What would the pair of them do?

What could Zack say to him?

He was worried in case he took his boyfriend thing completely wrong way...

"Stop panicking!" he shouted at himself, hitting his head lightly with the palm of his hands.

_I want Cloud to see me as confident and cool and –_

Oh god.

The doorbell went.

Walking as slowly to the door as possible, Zack frantically began restyling his hair and readjusting his shirt. Oh god... what if Cloud had changed his mind? What if Cloud thought Zack had gone to too much effort and laughed at him?

Sighing, Zack began opening the door slowly and painfully to reveal...

... _Holy Shiva..._

...the most amazing sight he had ever seen.

Zack's jaw fell to the ground.

Cloud Strife, who usually only ever wore his Infantry Man Uniform, was standing before him in the most complementing outfit Zack had ever seen. He looked amazing. No, more than amazing: phenomenal. If he'd have been aloud too, without having a staggered Cloud pulling him off, Zack would have definitely dived on the boy and completely mauled him.

The blonde was wearing a blue short sleeved shirt, which matched his glowing eyes perfectly. The use of short sleeves showed off his toned muscles and beautifully pale skin. Like Zack, he had chosen to wear jeans on his bottom half, but they were a lot darker than Zack's and much more attractive. He looked unbelievably hot.

_It's very possible that I might start drooling..._

"Zack?" Cloud said cautiously, gazing at the Soldier with troubled eyes. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Zack stifled, still gawping amazedly at the blonde. "You just look..."

..._do-able?_

"...amazing."

The blonde immediately reddened. "Not really."

"Take the compliment!" Zack said, playfully smacking him across the face.

_He's crazy to not see how gorgeous he is..._

"Well, err, I..."

_Should I kiss him now? Is it too early?_

Much to Zack's total amazement, it was Cloud who bent forward and pressed their lips together. The Soldier instantly let out a desire-filled groan and forced himself to pull away from the blonde. Damn... It had only been a simple peck. Why was he already getting excited?

"Nice to see you again," Cloud smiled, stepping confidently into the apartment. "...boyfriend."

_How could anyone possibly be this damn adorable?_

"Y-yeah," Zack stuttered, standing aside so that Cloud could walk past.

_Damn! He's meant to be the nervous one!_

"I really need to relax," Cloud said, leading himself into the insanely clean living room.

Zack was interested. "Why?"

"Nathan," Cloud sighed, throwing himself onto Zack's luxury couch. "He's doing my head in."

Zack immediately tensed up at the mention of Cloud's friend.

"_He can get really touchy sometimes. Says I'm his sunshine on a cloudy day; his lover."_

He disliked Nathan.

No, he _loathed _the guy.

_Jealousy taking over me again?_

"What did he do this time?" Zack asked, parking himself next to the blonde.

Cloud pouted. "He wouldn't stop hassling me about my secret lover!"

Zack almost choked on air. "You told him about us?"

_Chocobo, are you that insane?_

"Don't worry!" Cloud said quickly, raising his hands in somewhat of a defence. "I didn't say who it was. I just said that I was with somebody. Of course I didn't say your name..."

Zack was still unimpressed. "But why, Cloud?"

"Because he wouldn't get off me!" Cloud whined, pulling the sulkiest face he could muster. "He's more clingy that usual and keeps calling me all these sickening names! I had to get him off!"

Zack bared his teeth.

_How dare he touch my Cloud like that?_

"Forgiven," the Soldier laughed uneasily, not wanting his obvious jealousy to peek through. "We just need to be careful, that's all. Not everyone will react as well as others."

Cloud frowned at him. "Does that mean you've told someone?"

_Oh dear god..._

"Only Reno," Zack said, hoping that Cloud wouldn't mind him knowing. "He kind of figured it out himself a few days ago. He's a Turk, so he's good at finding things out. He won't talk, though."

Cloud's eyes brightened. "So, I can tell Mark?"

_Dear god..._

"It's not a competition," Zack laughed, grinning stupidly down at the excited blonde.

He received a pout in reply.

"You are so darn cute!" he cried, making the poor blonde redden once more.

Cloud shook his head. "I'm not."

"You are!"

"I'm not!"

"Well, you so are Cloud."

"Zack, you aren't -"

The Soldier had silenced him with a kiss.

Cloud pulled away sulkily. "You can't just win competitions like that!"

Zack grinned at him. "Watch me."

With that, he grabbed the blonde's face again and pulled him into a deeper kiss. Cloud resisted at first, desperate to win the argument, before giving in and kissing the Soldier back. Both men let out equally embarrassing noises.

_I could soo get used to this..._

Unfortunately, they were interrupted by Zack's noisy phone.

"Who could be ringing me?" Zack whinged, snapping his phone open in irritation. "Hello?"

Cloud laughed at him. So impatient... They had plenty of time to kiss.

"I'm soooo lonely, Zacky-poo!" the caller wailed.

_It's that Reno guy..._

Cloud immediately filled up with uncontrollable jealousy.

"I'm kinda busy right now," Zack moaned, throwing Cloud an apologetic look.

Reno didn't take the hint. "Yo, I need some love!"

Cloud frowned.

_What kind of love is he on about?_

"I'm busy giving another guy love," Zack said mischievously, winking at the moping Cloud.

Reno finally realised he was interrupting. "Oh shit! I'm sorry! I'll hang up!"

Zack laughed. "Some other time I'll come give you hugs or summin, yeah?"

_Hope it is only hugs..._

"That's cool, yo!" Reno said. "Tell cutie that he's a lucky guy. See ya!"

Then he hung up.

Cloud raised his eyebrow. "Cutie?"

"That's his nickname for you," Zack shrugged, grinning a little sheepishly at Cloud. "He's totally right though. You are insanely adorable. Actually, I didn't even think that - ow!"

Cloud thwacked him with a pillow.

"Don't really want a violent boyfriend!" Zack whined, clutching his throbbing arm.

"Don't really want a taunting boyfriend!" Cloud threw back.

_But I wasn't..._

"Well, you're stuck with me," Zack said, throwing Cloud a sympathetic look. "Boy, oh boy. You're gonna regret the decision of ever making me your boyfriend! All your past lovers will look so good next to me!"

Cloud bowed his head.

"What is it?" Zack asked, tilting the blondes head back up. "What's wrong?"

Cloud looked uncomfortable.

"Chocobo, answer me!"

_What the hell is up with him?_

"I..." Cloud whispered, dropping his eyes to the floor in shame. "... Have never had a boyfriend."

_Was that it...?_

"So what?" Zack laughed, not caring at all about the revelation.

Cloud wasn't finished. "Or a girlfriend..."

Zack still wasn't bothered. "So what?"

The blonde finally made eye contact with the amused Zack.

_I thought he'd find me pathetic..._

"You really mean that?" he croaked.

The Soldier nodded. "Of course. Who cares if you haven't dated anybody?"

_I do..._

"But you've dated loads," Cloud pointed out.

Oh boy...

"Well, I wouldn't say loads," Zack said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "But again, what does it matter? It's all in the past. None of them matter.

Cloud smiled up at him. "Thanks Zack."

_He's always so kind..._

"You know what Cloud?" Zack said, wrapping his arms around the unprepared blonde.

Cloud giggled and embraced the sudden hug. "What, Zack?"

"I think this could really work."

The blonde smiled embarrassedly at himself.

_Zack is so kind..._

"Me too," he whispered.

And he meant it.

**OH. MY. GOD.**

**If you met me, you'd know I'm not a soppy or romantic person.**

**So... what's up with this chapter?**

**But... it's cute! :D**

**And poor Reno. It was all a dream! When do I stop teasing him? :3**

**Cloud and Zack's happiness can't stay this way...**

**Drama to come!**

**PLEASE REVIEW – You've no idea how much it makes me smile! xx**


	18. Tension

**ATTRACTIONS**

_~re-edited.~_

Sephiroth calls his 'friend' in for a discussion, but Zack's having none of it...

Coffee with Aerith sounds much more exciting.

But... will it really seem so exciting once he receives a... surprising... text from Cloud?

Chapter Eighteen: Tension

* * *

><p>Zack had never felt so uncomfortable in his entire life.<p>

"So, what have you called me in here for?"

The silver-haired man merely grunted in reply.

"What, so I'm supposed to do all the talking?"

Sephiroth stared expressionlessly back at him.

"Say something! If you called me in here, you must have something to say!"

_What's the meaning of this?_

The General at last piped up. "I wanted to ask you something, Zachary."

_Is he really not going to explain his previous behaviour?_

"Go crazy," Zack snorted, folding his arms in a bored manner. "Not like I have work to be doing..."

Sephiroth stared deeply into him. "Why were you listening into our conversation?"

_Excuse me?_

He hadn't been expecting that.

"It is obvious that you were eavesdropping," the man continued, sending the Soldier a disappointed frown. "I would have expected more from you."

Zack's jaw extended to the floor.

_He's expecting ME to apologise?_

"Sephiroth," he sighed, desperately trying to stay composed and coolheaded. "I could hear every word from the back of that helicopter. If the others had actually been awake, they would have heard it too. The pair of you were stupidly loud. It's not eavesdropping if I didn't intentionally listen in."

The General did not look convinced. "Then how come you commented about Reno?"

_Shit..._

"What do you mean?" Zack choked, slowly demolishing his laid-back attitude.

Sephiroth glared at him. "I think you know exactly what I mean."

_Please don't make this anymore painful than it already is..._

He did.

"For you to make such judgement," Sephiroth continued, analysing the situation with faultless precision. "You must have been watching the pair of us in the front of the transport. Otherwise, you would not have been able to make such an assumption by ears alone."

_Really did not think this through._

"So what?" Zack shrugged, trying to seem as uncaring as possible. "Yeah, I watched."

Sephiroth gnarled his teeth. "Why did you find it necessary to watch?"

"I was curious," he admitted, ignore the man's clear revulsion. "You both seemed off... so I investigated."

_Why should I feel guilty about this?_

"That kind of behaviour is unacceptable," Sephiroth reminded him. "I would have expected more from a man of your position. Also, more from a person who I would refer to as a friend."

_Hypocrite!_

Zack smashed his fist against the desk. "So, are we going to ignore the fact that you made me stay away from Cloud? Telling me what we were doing was immoral, when in fact you'd felt the same way towards Angeal! Making him hate me all because you were jealous? Even now, when I've caught you out and you're clearly in the wrong – you still make it out to be my fault!"

Sephiroth gawped at him, wide-eyed.

_Just tell him you're sorry... Apologise to him... Admit you've been jealous from the very beginning..._

However, this pride would not allow him to do such a thing.

"I did it for your own good," he lied. "I did not want you to get in trouble."

"Bullshit!" Zack cried, throwing his arms furiously into the air. "If that's the case, then I would like to give you some advice. Do not touch Reno inappropriately again! If the company is that against it and it is that important, then why would you do something like that to him?"

Sephiroth went to talk, but the Soldier wasn't finished...

"It's obvious that Reno likes you! Sheesh, it's painfully noticeable. He doesn't tend to like anyone either! The guy hates giving his emotions to anyone! Or his sole attention! But you just went and walked all over that, didn't you? Do you not care?"

_I need to stand up for my friends! I need to protect them!_

The General had no reply.

"Answer me, Sephiroth!"

_Why is he making this so difficult?_

The man decided to be truthful with him. "I do not know what I want with that boy."

... _What do you mean?_

"Do not treat him like a toy," Zack warned, trying his best to stand up to the man.

"I have absolutely no intention of doing that."

Zack was tired of arguing. "Well just leave him alone then – I really have to go!"

The Soldier went to turn around and exit the office, but was stopped momentarily by the following comment that the General made.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," Sephiroth muttered.

Zack turned to him, bemused. "Why? Why is that so damn difficult to do?"

"I do not know myself," he confessed.

Zack clenched his fist in sheer fury. This... this wasn't fair on Reno!

"Your phone," Sephiroth said, pointing towards Zack's trouser pocket. "It's ringing."

_Typical..._

"If you call yourself a friend," Zack said, swinging the door open with full force. "Then you'll try and fix the mess you've caused... boss."

With that, he left.

* * *

><p>"Hello, Zack Fair."<p>

The Soldier forced himself to look up at the figure greeting him.

_Still as beautiful as ever..._

"Aerith..." he replied, smiling happily at the sweet girl. "I've missed seeing your pretty face."

She parked herself in the chair opposite. "How are you?"

"Not too good," he confessed, seeing no reason to lie about it. "Stressful day."

She threw him a comforting look. "Sorry to hear that."

"It's okay," he shrugged; waving impatiently over to the waitress at the counter. "Things will sort themselves out. They always do."

Aerith nodded in agreement. "That's true."

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds... Was she waiting for him to blurt it out?

"I've never been here before," she whispered, gazing interestedly round at the unfamiliar surroundings. "What is it, just a coffee lounge? It has a lovely atmosphere."

He had to agree. "I come here when I need to relax and clear my head."

The waitress finally approached the pair of them, wearing a hideously grumpy face.

"Order?" she grunted.

Zack quickly turned to his friend. "What would you like?"

"Whatever you're having," she answered, smiling sweetly up at the moody waitress.

_Feels like I'm on a date with him!_

"Well, I'll have a black coffee," Zack said, staring questionably at Aerith. "That definitely okay?"

"Of course," she beamed, watching carefully at the waitress scribbled down the order.

Zack looked at her, puzzled.

_Is she really that taken in by a coffee shop?_

"Is this your first time ordering something like this?" he asked, hoping that he wasn't prying.

She didn't seem to mind the questioning, however. "Yes, it is."

_Such a unique individual..._

Finally, the waitress slumped off and slid sulkily behind the till.

"Strange..." Aerith hummed, analysing the girl as she poured their drinks. "Never seen anyone look so moody."

Zack laughed at her, surprised. "She's always like that, bless her."

"It's a shame," Aerith sighed, finally turning her attention away from the girl. "All that frowning makes her face look unbelievably ugly."

Zack snorted at the joke... That hadn't been expected. She was barely ever offensive towards anyone.

"So, how is the romance situation, Zack Fair?"

_I don't mind talking about it... Now that everything's going alright..._

"Really good!" he said happily, gazing curiously at the now joyful woman. "Thanks for the concern."

_Why does my good fortune make her smile so much?_

"That's great!" she cried, thanking the waitress as she laid down the drinks. "So, what's their name?"

... Was it too risky?

Nah.

"Cloud Strife."

Aerith choked on her coffee. "It's a boy? C-Cloud is a boy's name...?"

_The dreaded reaction..._

Zack nodded proudly. "Yeah... do you find that weird?"

"No!" she quickly said, waving her hands in immediate protest. "Not at all! I just did not expect you to be the type of person to like the same sex! You just seem like a ladies' man, I guess..."

Zack chuckled at the comment. "I guess I like both sexes."

_At least I think I do..._

"That's interesting," she said, sounding genuinely fascinated by the idea.

Zack took a large gulp of his coffee. "Hm, I guess so?"

_It's not really that exciting..._

"Oh yeah!" she exclaimed, pulling out her backpack and carefully rummaging through it. "Before I forget – here!"

She handed him a slip of paper. "What's this?" he asked.

"An invitation!"

_...invitation?_

"For what?" he asked, gazing confusedly down at the colourful slip.

"There's this party..." she groaned, bowing her head down slightly in embarrassment. "This young boy is going – he's really nice... It's just, he's so young and I feel I should be watching over him... In case something happens. I wondered whether you'd be interested in joining me. It's free drinks – and I hear a lot of Soldier members tend to go."

Zack's face lit up at the invitation. "Free drinks? Aint even gotta ask!"

"Awesome!" she cried, dropping her rucksack back to the floor. "You can bring Cloud if you like?"

_Didn't even think of that..._

"You sure?" he asked warily, not wanting her to feel forced or obliged to.

"Of course! Like I said, many people from Shinra go, so he'd probably be invited anyway."

_Our first time out as a couple..._

_I wonder what a drunken Cloud is like?_

"Now," Aerith sighed, her tone suddenly turning deadly serious. "I need to discuss the important matter with you. Remember, what I told you on the phone?"

How could he forget?

"Yes, I do."

Aerith sighed sadly. "Your friend Tseng keeps following me around. I'm used to it, but... He's so young and so wonderful, should he be really be wasting his time with me? I just feel like he could be doing so much more for himself than spying."

Zack was curious now. "Why are you being watched all of the time?"

She bowed her head in embarassment. "It's a little bit personal... I'm sorry.""

"Oh..."

_He hadn't been expecting that._

"Well, don't worry," he said reassuringly. "I'm sure if I speak to him, he might back off. Try not to hold it against him though, it is his job after all – he's ordered to do it."

Aerith giggled to herself. "It's like Zack is my hero!"

_Not in the way you'd want me to be though, right? _

_I'm sorry... Aerith._

The sound of buzzing jolted him up.

"Excuse me a minute," he said apologetically, pulling out his noisy mobile. "Received a text."

The name written across the scream gave him butterflies...

_From: Cloud_

_Message: I think I... owe you something... when you get back home._

_Kind of a repayment for what you did to me the other night..._

_I'll see you when you're done drinking coffee..._

_To... repay the favour._

Zack felt his stomach heat up.

Was the blonde really going to... 'repay the favour'?

Where on earth had this sudden bolt of confidence come from?

_Cute that he felt the need to text and warn me..._

The thought made him shudder with pleasure.

_Repaying such a favour..._

"Anything interesting?" Aerith suddenly asked, causing the distracted Zack to jump out of his skin.

There was no other option but to lie. "Nothing interesting really."

"Oh, right..."

_Let's hurry up this conversation..._

_I have an overexcited Cloud back home waiting for me..._

* * *

><p><strong>An over excited Cloud back home ;)<strong>

**Wonder how he's going to repay the favour? Tee hee.**

**Sephiroth... I'm hating him now... I'm portraying him as such an ass.**

**... Review -.- xx**


	19. Difficulties

Difficulties

**Zack returns home to an overexcited Cloud :D**

Zack Fair finally arrived at his apartment.

The journey there had seemed everlasting...

He had felt unbelievably impolite, throwing around pathetic excuses and leaving Dara alone like that. But... It had to be done. He couldn't leave Cloud in such a state, now could he? Besides, he was looking forward to this... _Really _looking forward to this.

Zack unlocked the front door, making as little noise as humanly possible, and let himself into the apartment. Much to his surprise and somewhat disappointment, Cloud did not come bounding down the hall to gleefully welcome him home. Instead, Zack was greeted by silence, which both bewildered and panicked the overly energetic man.

_Where is Cloud?_

_Has he changed his mind?_

Zack strolled into the silent living room and scanned the area for any signs of the blonde. Unfortunately, there were none. The room seemed to be laughing at the poor Soldier.

Deciding that he might as well, considering that he was now almost definitely alone, Zack peeled off his white shirt and flung it carelessly onto the sofa. He was unbelievably hot, so... why not?

He couldn't get his head round the current situation. Where was Cloud? Had he really changed his mind? This seemed far too weird... Only moments ago had he been expecting his 'reward.'

_Maybe something came up?_

But... the blonde had only just recently text him. Wouldn't he have warned him that he was leaving, or had changed his mind about the whole ordeal? If Cloud was far too nervous to act on his feelings, then Zack definitely would not mind waiting. Actually, he would find it unbelievably cute and tease the blonde till no end.

Leaving the soundless living room, Zack decided that he might as well go for an afternoon nap. Why not? He was tired from the unusual meeting he'd had with Dara and his muscles were now aching for some unexplainable reason.

_Wish they were aching from overuse!_

But...

"Would I prefer it if they were aching from overuse with fighting, or..."

_Perhaps overuse with Cloud?_

...

"Stop it brain – can't be thinking like that so soon!"

Shaking the idea out of his overexcited head, Zack pushed down on the handle before him and flung open his bedroom door. Would sleep would get rid of these thoughts? He hoped so.

Zack was originally planning to wander in and throw himself onto the bed, but was momentarily distracted by a pile of clothing positioned on the floor. Were his clothes... neatly arranged? That was bizarre; he never _ever _stacked anything tidy.

Zack chuckled to himself.

_Cloud must have been playing housewife earlier..._

He finally let himself into the room and turned amusedly towards his bedroom mirror.

_This is vain of me – but ah well!_

Zack began admiring his toned body, checking cautiously for any areas lacking muscle or definition. Luckily, he couldn't find any and instead began checking his face for any faults. Zack couldn't deny that he was pretty attractive – so why not look? After all, he needed to make sure that he kept fit and healthy looking for the future. He was promoting Soldier, after all!

"I never would have guessed that you were so vain."

Zack could have sworn that his heart stopped beating.

Turning round at lightning speed, Zack found himself coming face-to-face with the sexiest blonde he had ever laid eyes on. No, scrap that – the sexiest _guy _he had ever laid eyes on.

_So, he was here the whole time!_

"Wow, Cloud..." Zack whispered, staring lustfully down at the smiling blonde. "You look –"

"Amazing?" he laughed, predicting exactly what the Soldier would say. "You do too... in your... nothing... no shirt."

_So damn cute!_

"Well thank you Chocobo," Zack said, edging closer and closer towards the seated blonde.

Cloud gulped. "Did you not erm... know I was here?"

_His confidence is already faltering... cute._

"Nope," he admitted, positioning himself directly in front of the man. "I came in here to go for a nap, but decided that I would do some vain activities first. You scared the crap outta me!"

Cloud giggled. "Sorry, Zack..."

"No problem, kiddo."

...

Zack could see just how much Cloud was shaking...

"Look," he said comfortingly, reaching out to squeeze the blondes trembling hands. "We don't have to do anything. Don't feel like you have to do this, okay?"

Cloud looked up to him with nervous eyes and nodded. "Okay."

Oh...

_I know I said I didn't mind, but... Still feel a little disappointed._

Zack felt terrible for being dissatisfied with the blonde.

_I'm such a bad boyfriend..._

What would Reno say right now?

"_Yo, don't be such a whiny ass. I'd be pissed too!"_

Zack mentally cursed at himself.

_Stop having this kind of thing constantly on the brain!_

Cloud looked cautiously up at Zack, who had without realising it, completely zoned out and drifted into his own little world. Was he disappointed with him? Well, he wouldn't be for too long – because Cloud was not finished with him yet. The Soldier had definitely misunderstood him.

The blonde reached out and grabbed Zack's zipper. "But, what if I want to do something?"

_Holy mother of Gaia!_

Zack gasped agonizingly as he felt the blonde run his hand over his unsuspecting crotch. Damn! It only took a tiny little touch or a lustful bite of the lip for him to be completely at Cloud's mercy! Was he really serious about this, though?

"Are you sure?" Zack choked, watching in awe as the blonde proceeded to undo his jeans.

Cloud looked up at him and nodded. "Never been this sure about anything."

_Does he not realise how much control he has over me?_

The blonde at last undid the Soldier's jeans and pulled them down with obvious impatience. Zack chuckled at Cloud's clear eagerness. It was so hard not to call the kid cute right now...

Cloud finally had the trousers down by his lover's ankles and proceeded to pull down the red boxers. However, he decided that he would instead tease for a while, just as Zack had previously done to him. Served the guy right.

"Cloud..." Zack hissed in pain, unable to handle the slow procedure. "Take them off."

However, the blonde did not listen and continued to run his hand playfully over the hardening crotch. Zack let out a groan of disapproval and threw his head back in frustration. Cloud chuckled and abruptly stopped his hands movements, moving forward to teasingly kiss the bulge in the man's boxers. This made Zack release the most ill-sounding noise the blonde had ever heard.

"What's wrong?" Cloud said innocently, staring up at Zack without wide and naive eyes. "I'm paying attention to you, just like you wanted. What complaints could you possibly have?"

Zack glared down at the grinning boy. "You really know how to put me in pain, don't you?"

Cloud chuckled.

_Yes... Yes I do!_

"My apologies sir," Cloud said huskily, finally pulling down the stretching boxers.

Zack's stomach somersaulted at the blonde's choice of words.

_Wish he called me sir more often..._

Cloud gawped in unconcealed awe at the sight before him.

_Zack is huge!_

"What's wrong Chocobo?" Zack snorted. "Expected one to look different?"

The blonde pouted to himself.

_Now's not the time to be making jokes!_

"I j-just," Cloud stuttered, still unable to peel his eyes off the sight. "Can't believe how big it is."

Zack failed to control his laughter.

"Stop laughing!" Cloud whined, scrunching up his face in obvious annoyance. "I'm just worried that, you know... it won't fit in."

_As I keep saying... So cute..._

"It'll be fine," Zack purred, smiling amusedly down at the flustered blonde. "Trust me."

Cloud nodded in reply.

_Now I just feel silly..._

Seeing no other way to cover the embarrassment, Cloud forcefully and skilfully, without any hint or warning, forced the twitching member into his mouth.

_Holy mother of –_

Zack's eyes shot open at the sudden and unexpected wave of pleasure. He bucked forward without any control, causing a satisfied groan to escape the blonde's mouth.

_Holy crap...!_

The blonde's own lustful reaction caused a further sensation to travel up Zack's spine and send fireworks shooting across his body. It was so difficult not to shove himself deeper and deeper into Cloud's mouth... His willpower was slowly failing him.

"Holy Gaia..." Zack gasped, digging his hands into the blonde's bobbing head. "You're so good at this, Chocobo..."

Cloud hummed in reply and continued to consume the Soldier deeper and deeper.

Luckily, the blonde was sat on the bed and the Soldier was stood before him, so the height positioning was perfect. However, Cloud still had to grab onto the man's hips to stop him from toppling over and bucking into his mouth. Zack's body was obviously reacting very well to this gift. But, if he allowed Zack's body to keep acting this way, Cloud was surely going to choke...

_I don't know why I was so worried..._

Zack let out a loud moan as he felt the blonde begin to apply more suction. His cheeks hollowed and his eyes closed tighter. Damnit – he wasn't going to last as long as he'd hoped...

The look of concentration on the blondes face made his arousal grow even higher.

_So much attention from him... So hard not to thrust into him...!_

"C-cloud," Zack panted, increasing his grip on the blonde's head. "I won't – Can't –"

The blonde assumed that this meant he wouldn't be lasting long.

He let out a muffled sound of approval in response...

"Damnit!" Zack cursed, throwing his head back even further.

_Best... repayment... EVER!_

The blonde decided to be a little more daring and wrapped his hands around the Soldier's filling balls. This sudden pleasure sent an almost unbearable feeling flying up the Soldier's body.

"Holy..." Zack croaked, his eyes swivelling into the back of his head. "... Fuck."

Cloud began quickening his pace; tightening his grips on the Soldier's wriggling hips. He could tell that Zack was going to come soon... those strange groans and constant curses were a clear warning sign. It was difficult for the blonde not to grin... he was going to make Zack feel amazing...

"How the –h-hell... that's... "

Zack was forced to wrap his hand around the bedroom cabinet as the pleasure of it all became almost too much. Every part of his body was failing him and becoming numb, besides the one obvious area that Cloud was paying attention too. He could barely stand up... He could barely see...

Cloud was now adding his tongue to his actions, pulling out every so often to flick teasingly over the Soldier's head before delving back in. Zack didn't understand how he was doing it... his tongue seemed to be touching every single sensitive area! How was he managing to keep all of his movements up? He had definitely done this kind of thing before...

"C-cloud... Sor..ry... I'm g-gonna... mhmph..."

Unable to stop himself, the blonde let out a lustful yet muffled growl as his movements finally sent the Soldier on edge. The grip in his hair was becoming unbearable and the noises escaping Zack's mouth were almost painful for his ears...

Zack had never felt so good from a simple blowjob.

"So... c-close..."

_I cannot wait for this –_

"ZACK ARE YOU IN? IT'S AN EMERGENCY! YOU HAVE TO COME QUICK!"

Cloud momentarily stopped his movements.

Zack immediately lost some of the pleasure...

Someone was knocking desperately at the door.

"They'll have to wait," Cloud said hoarsely, wrapping his mouth back around Zack's bulging member. He wasn't going to stop now... Not when Zack was so close...

The Soldier immediately felt the pleasure building up again and decided to ignore the intruder.

However, they were not going to give up.

"YOU HAVE TO COME QUICK, ZACK! I'M BLEEDING – IT'S EVERYWHERE!"

That did it. How could Zack ignore that plea?

Much to both his annoyance and the blondes, Zack pulled reluctantly out of Cloud's mouth and clumsily pulled his jeans back up. Could anything be more aggravating than this?

Cloud stared at the Soldier in disbelief... He had stopped him... How could... How could he just stop a moment like that?

He had never felt so livid in his entire life...

Zack however, didn't have time to consider Cloud's feelings. He finally managed to do up his previously discarded trousers and ran speedily towards the door. The person outside was knocking even harder now, sounding unbelievably insistent and urgent.

The Soldier fiddled desperately with the irritating lock and at last managed to swing the door open. He was extremely nervous now, half expecting to find a half dead man standing outside his house; suffocating from an injury of some sort.

It wouldn't have been so bad that way...

Cloud would have probably been able to forgive him, but...

Not in this circumstance.

"Reno..." Zack hissed in total disgust. "What are you... doing... here...?"

The redhead grinned up at the fuming Zack. "Came to see you, yo!"

Zack stared in unmistakable anger at his friend.

Reno was not bleeding, nor was he in any type of danger.

"Why... did you panic me...?"

"I knew you wouldn't come to the door otherwise," Reno shrugged, rudely letting himself into Zack's apartment. "So I thought of a method to – oh holy fuck –"

The Turk finally noticed the bulge in the Soldier's crotch.

"Oh shit Zack, were you -"

"I'm leaving," Cloud suddenly declared, turning unexpectedly behind the raging Zack.

_Please tell me this is all a joke..._

Reno gawped in disbelief as the blonde shoved angrily past the stunned Soldier.

Zack was struggling to regain his speech. "Cloud, I -"

"Forget it," Cloud snapped, storming fumingly out the apartment and slamming the door behind him.

_How unbelievably awkward..._

"Shit," Reno said, staring back down at the still hardening crotch. "I didn't realise..."

However, Zack was too distracted to reply to the apologetic redhead.

His eyes stayed fixated on the closed door, urging it to open, urging the blonde to return.

"Cloud..." he whispered, clasping his hand over his trembling mouth.

Reno looked away guilty, unable to believe that he'd interrupted such a moment.

_Fuck... _

_How am I going to solve this?..._

**Aww.**

**Poor Cloud. Poor Zack... and I guess, poor Reno?**

**Ha. I wanted Cloud's first attempt to be rudely interrupted.**

**Now he's pissed.**

**How is Zack going to react to this?**

**More to come – PLEASE REVIEW. IT MAKES ME SOO HAPPY. xx**


	20. Apologies

Apologies 

**Lots of people saying, "I'm sorry!" in one chapter.**

**:D!**

"For the millionth time – I'm sorry!"

Reno was not sure how else to earn forgiveness.

"I didn't know, yo! It was only supposed to be a joke!"

The Turk had finally established that he'd gone too far.

"Yo, answer me!

Zack finally replied to his desperate friend. "It's fine, Reno."

_... Excuse me?_

"How is it fine?" Reno cried, waving away the forgiveness he'd fought so hard to gain.

The Soldier turned to him. "It's my fault – not yours."

"How?" Reno spluttered, gawping at his friend in total astonishment. "It's clearly mine."

_Is spike mad?"_

"You've been begging me to forgive you," Zack said, finally allowing himself to smile. "But now that I do, you brush it away? Reno, I think you're going a tad insane."

"Probably..."

_Still feel guilty though, yo..._

"How you going to make it up to him?" Reno asked, fiddling nervously with a cigarette packet.

Zack shrugged. "I really don't know, buddy. I think it's going to take a lot."

The Turk had to agree with that. "Probably, yo."

_My entire fault as well..._

"I can help you?" Reno offered, although he knew full well that Zack would decline.

The Soldier did just that. "No... I have to do this."

_Feel even guiltier now..._

"I don't get why the kiddo's mad with you," Reno sighed, staring drearily out of the window in front of them both. "Sure, it's sucks that you were interrupted. Yo, I'd be pissed too. But, it's not exactly your fault – is it? And you have plenty of time to catch up..."

Zack didn't get it too much either. "I know. You said you were bleeding, so I had no choice but to investigate and leave my current position; even if I really did not want to."

_There you go._

"So it is my fault," Reno pointed out, staring apologetically at the sulking man.

Zack finally stopped denying it. "Yup. Completely your fault."

_Ugh..._

"Everything's so confusing..." Reno grumbled, taking a large sip out of his untouched milkshake. "Yo, why do things have to be so complicated? I cause too much mess..."

It was Zack's turn to comfort the redhead. "What's up?"

_I can't exactly tell him..._

"Nothing, yo," Reno lied, turning guiltily away from the concerned Soldier. "Just a thought."

Zack pointed his finger threateningly at him. "Tell me the truth – or else."

_Soo persistent..._

"Honestly," Reno said shakily, pushing the interrogating finger away from him. "It's nothin'."

Zack decided that he would be truthful in the Turk's place.

"I know Reno. I know everything."

Reno felt his heart thudding against his chest. "Say w-what?"

"I know about Sephiroth," Zack confessed. "Have for a while."

_Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?_

"How long is a while?" Reno choked, completely taken aback by the declaration.

Zack stared deeply into him. "Since the mission."

_Please don't say he –_

"I saw everything."

_Or do. Whatever._

"Why didn't you tell me?" Reno snapped, highly irritated with the Soldier. "Yo, I would have told you."

Zack shot him a guilty look. "I'm sorry. It's just... I had my own problems with Seph...

"Not the only one."

_Seems he's been affecting other people as well as me..._

"I guess we've both been in the wrong," Zack said, taking a sip out of his own milkshake.

Reno had to agree. "Yeah, we have. Let's both agree that we were in the wrong and move on."

_Can't hold a grudge with him..._

Zack nodded in approval. "Yeah, let's."

_Well, at least he can't hate me as much now..._

"Finally!" Zack exclaimed, breathing out a sigh of utter relief. "I can at last question you!"

_Oh good..._

"What is there to ask, yo?" Reno groaned, scrunching up his face in obvious disapproval.

Zack's expression turned sombre. "Do you really have a thing for Sephiroth?"

_Do I really have to answer this?_

"Yeah I do," Reno said truthfully, turning away embarrassedly from his friend. "Problem?"

"Of course not," Zack replied. "It's just... well, be careful."

Reno tilted his head. "Why?"

"Because he'll mess you around and treat you like a toy if you're not cautious."

_Honestly was not expecting that..._

"Yo, I won't allow that to happen," Reno said – and he meant it too.

Zack smiled at him. "Good."

"...Now," Reno said, relieved that he could finally ask. "Has he spoken about me to you?"

The Soldier shook his head in disappointment. "Acting like such a girl..."

"Shut up, yo!" Reno snarled. "Just answer the question!"

_Should I really tell him?_

Zack decided to. "Yes, he has. The other day in fact."

Reno's face lit up in unrestrained excitement. "R-really?"

"Yeah," Zack said, unsure now whether he'd made the right decision. "I tried telling him to leave you alone – don't frown at me! Just listen! Anyway, he said that he couldn't and he didn't know why... He didn't deny that he had a thing for you, either."

The Turk began grinning like a crushing school girl. "Yo, really?"

Zack nodded. "Yup."

_Fucking knew it!_

"Result!" he cried, triumphantly throwing his arms up into the air. "I was right!"

_Oh god, Reno..._

Zack went to say a joke, but was interrupted by the redhead.

"Look!" Reno cried, pointing urgently over to a figure in the corner. "There's blondie!"

Zack rested his eyes on where the redhead was pointing and saw that Cloud was in fact, slumped in the corner. That gave him the perfect opportunity!

He shot a grateful look at Reno. "Thanks for noticing!"

"No problem," the Turk smirked, watching amusedly as Zack struggled out of his chair.

The Soldier finally clambered up and began running frantically towards his target.

"Cloud!" he cried, waving manically towards the moody blonde. "Over here!"

The Infantry Man slowly noticed the approaching man and decided to turn away. He was not in the mood for an explanation right now. Leaving the poor Soldier confused and distressed, Cloud began running away himself, causing a few concerned Shinra members to glance his way.

"Oi!" Zack shouted, refusing to give up on his difficult mission. "Don't ignore me!"

Cloud kept going.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Zack cried, still chasing after the escaping Cloud. "Let me explain!"

_Can't you let me be moody, for at least one day?_

Cloud knew it wasn't his fault, but...

Still!

Zack had just pulled away from him! At such a moment!

_On my first attempt..._

The blonde let out an irritated growl as he noticed the Soldier overtake him. Zack was clearly much faster than him and had not even broken a sweat from all that running. Cloud however, was panting like a dog. He was not as fit as a 1st Class Soldier... Damn.

"Listen," Zack said, tightly gripping the Infantry Man's shoulder. "I'm really sorry, okay? I couldn't be sorrier. But honestly Chocobo, what did you expect me to do? I thought someone was in serious pain and I was their only hope. Sure, it turned out to be a prank – but I didn't know that!"

_Zack, that's not the point..._

"I would rather it not have happened," the Soldier continued. "But it did and I can't take it back. But let me tell you this – that was the best experience I ever had. I don't care if you didn't finish it. Hell, an unfinished one from you is better than all of the previous ones added together. Cloud, we still have loads of time to make up for this. Honestly."

_But, I just..._

"Please forgive me..."

_What do I do...?_

"I..."

It wasn't just the fact that they'd been interrupted. It was more about _who _had interrupted them. Cloud hated to admit it, but he was really jealous when it came to Reno. He and Zack were so close... And on the mission, the Turk had been practically drooling over him. Friends or not, he was still concerned with their closeness. And for him to have been the one who interrupted them...

"Reno's really feeling guilty about this," Zack added.

"So he should!" Cloud hissed, picturing the smug redhead right now, mocking him.

"Cloud," Zack said, staring intensely downing at the frowning blonde. "I really am sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you. I did the last time, right?"

He couldn't deny that...

"But –"

"No buts!" Zack said, leaning provocatively down towards Cloud's ear. "Trust me I will make it up to you," he growled, sending a shiver down the blonde's spine. "This time however, it won't just be one place that I pay attention to..."

The Soldier placed his hand on the blonde's crotch and moaned loudly into his ear.

Cloud hauled him off. "Not here! What if someone sees?"

_All that talk about having to be careful and keeping it secret!_

"Sorry Chocobo," Zack chuckled, holding up his hands in defence. "Got carried away."

_How could I not with you?_

"So..." Zack said cautiously, staring down at the blonde with puppy-dog eyes. "Am I forgiven?"

Cloud pouted up at him. "I guess so."

_Hurrah!_

"Good!" he grinned, folding his arms and creating a victory stance.

_I can never seem to hold a grudge with Zack..._

"Now..." Zack said, delving into his trouser pocket and pulling out a slip of paper. "Take this."

Cloud reached out and grabbed the item. "What is it?"

"An invitation," Zack said. "For a party tomorrow. I wanna take you as my date!"

Cloud stared amusedly down at it.

_Already been invited to this..._

"I'm already going," Cloud declared, wiping the excited expression off Zack's face.

_Is he still mad at me?_

"But," he thankfully added, sending a slight glimpse of hope Zack's way. "I would much rather go with you than Nathan. So, I accept your offer and will happily go as a secret date."

The smiled returned to Zack's face. "Excellent!"

"Then," Cloud said, staring embarrassedly yet lustfully at the Soldier. "You can make it up to me... again. It best be good and it best top the last time... sir."

Zack's stomach somersaulted once more at being called 'sir.'

"Don't worry," he growled, brushing his hand against Cloud's lips. "It will be."

Cloud panicked again. "Zack! Not here!"

The Soldier chuckled. "My bad Cloud... So, see you tomorrow around seven?"

"It's a date!" Cloud beamed, waving to the Soldier as he departed down the corridor.

_He's going to make it up to me... And it's going to be better than before..._

Cloud shuddered at the thought.

Bring on tomorrow!

**So, Reno finally knows that Zack knows... kinda complicated sentence right there.**

**Cloud hates Reno, oh dear. **

**What will happen at the party? ;)**

**Sephiroth and Reno will make an appearance also.**

**PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! (I'm a desperate freak)**


	21. Party Part One

Party – Part 1

**There will be two parts to the party :D**

"Clooooud – why have you backed out on me?"

The blonde let out a loud and excruciating sigh.

_Does Nathan ever stop whinging?_

"Because someone else invited me," he said for the millionth time, clumsily doing up his awkward shirt buttons. "Gaia... why is this so difficult to do?"

Nathan snickered. "Can't even do up your blouse, lover?"

_Wish he'd stop calling me that!_

Cloud scowled up at him. "I'm getting there!"

"Looks like it too," Nathan said sarcastically, stepping smugly towards his fumbling friend. "Here, let me do it. We'll be here till Christmas otherwise."

The blondie violently shook his head. "No way – I am going to do this myself."

"It's not a work mission," Nathan smirked, standing back to admire Cloud's clumsy attempts.

"No, but you'll get ideas!" the blonde pointed out, finally buttoning up the top of his shirt.

_Can't believe how long that took me!_

Nathan had to agree. "Probably – but you'd love it."

"No, I wouldn't."

_Only want Zack to get excited over me..._

"Anyway!" Nathan exclaimed, desperate to try and keep the blonde from sulking. "Who's taking you then? Is it your new lover? Will this be some sort of romantic thing?"

Cloud shot him a mischievous look. "What if it is?"

Nathan immediately piped up. "Really? Awesome! Are they picking you up from here?"

_No, thankfully..._

The blonde shook his head. "Nope – I'm going to theirs."

"Could at least tell me her name!" Nathan whined, pleading desperately with his taunting friend. "Come on Cloud – I won't tell anyone! Pleaaase!"

"No!" the blonde snapped, heaving the grumbling man off of his arm. "You can't keep quiet."

"Yes I can!" Nathan gasped, insulted by his friends clear lack of trust. "Don't be silly!"

_Whatever..._

-Ding Dong-

"Huh?" Cloud said confusedly, gawping in unison with Nathan at the beckoning door.

"Who the hell would that be?" Nathan whispered, looking clearly as bewildered as the blonde.

Cloud walked cautiously towards the ringing door. "Maybe it's mark?"

Nathan shrugged. "Maybe..."

The blonde slowly opened up the rattling front door and gaped at the sight lay before him.

_Zack!_

"Hey Chocobo!" the Soldier beamed, thrusting out a bouquet for the blonde. "Ready to go?"

Cloud was frozen. "Zack... I thought I was... You weren't..."

"Sorry Chocobo," the Soldier interrupted, clumsily holding out the colourful bunch of flowers. "Wanted to surprise you."

"... This is certainly a surprise."

_Why is Cloud being so distant?_

That's when Zack realised.

They had company.

Nathan hesitantly appeared behind the gawping blonde, wearing the most astounded expression that Zack had ever seen. He couldn't believe what was happening. He couldn't accept this as reality. Was this...Could they... Was Lieutenant Fair _really _Cloud's date? Or had there been a mix up of some sort?

Zack's heart momentarily stopped as he began to fully understand why Cloud had responded so coldly. He had not been alone... Nathan had been getting ready with him.

"Shit..." he said, bowing his head down to the floor in disgrace. "Sorry, Chocobo..."

Nathan interrupted the apology. "Is this... Is he really -"

"Shut up Nathan!" Cloud snapped, throwing the man the man an irritated yet fearful look.

_That definitely confirms it..._

"Well Cloud," Zack said, dropping the bouquet onto the floor and stepping towards the staggered blonde. "Guess there's no need for me to hold back now."

"Hold back for wha -"

Zack didn't let him finish.

Without any care for the presence behind them, or for the blonde's obvious embarrassment, Zack bent down courageously and forced his lips softly onto Cloud's. The blonde's eyes widened to begin with, taken aback by the Soldier's lack of tactic, before realising that he in fact shouldn't care. Nathan had obviously figured it out already – so what did it matter?

_Might as well give him a show!_

Cloud threw his hands into the Soldier's gel-stiffened hair and Zack followed suit. The previous gap between then was erased and instead replaced with the pairs clashing lips. Zack found himself unconsciously moaning into the blonde's open mouth, which made the already worked up Cloud even more lustful. In response, he drew out from the heated kiss and nibbled teasingly at the Soldier's lips. The grip in his hair tightened instantly and the moan escaping Zack's mouth grew louder.

Once satisfied with his response, Cloud delved back into the Soldier's willing mouth and continued to wrestle with the man. Zack immediately regained equal position with the blonde and began paying him back with equivalent attention.

After a few heated seconds, the blonde slowly and carefully rolled his tongue out, requesting access from the flustered Soldier, before being consumed himself by Zack's own mouth muscle. Damn - why was his body already reacting so crazily?

He let out a loud and lustful moan as Zack skilfully wound his tongue into his mouth and allowed it to dance freely with his own. The blonde began releasing equally embarrassing noises that he was unable to contain, as the attention from Zack started sending his willpower over the edge. How he wished they could go further...

Cloud tightened his grip on the Soldier's hair and Zack raised the level of roughness. This was no longer a passionate embrace... it was a lustful and animalistic one; with the pair of them fighting for power.

_Best... greeting... EVER._

Nathan simply gawped at the overexcited pair, unable to peel his eyes off the marvellous sight. He wasn't supposed to enjoying this, was he? Wasn't it more sensible... and not to mention more straight... to turn away? But he couldn't. His body refused to move.

_That is so... mhmph... hot..._

They were letting out the sexiest sounds he had _ever _heard_..._

He was desperate to join in.

The pair, after a few frantic minutes of action, finally separated and allowed themselves access to air. They had gotten much more caught in the moment than originally intended...

"I missed you," Zack panted, grinning down at the breathless Cloud.

The blonde shot him a teasing look. "It's only been a day."

Zack bent down towards the man's ear and whispered huskily to him. "Far too long."

Shivers shot up Cloud's spine.

_How can he have that effect on me so easily?_

"Hey!" Nathan said, finally regaining control of himself. "I'm still here you know."

The pair turned amusedly to the flustered man, who up until now, they had completely forgotten about. He was frowning, but... He didn't look annoyed. The kid seemed more... baffled.

"Bless him," Zack cooed, urging himself to ruffle the poor boys hair.

Cloud giggled.

Nathan frowned.

"Oh yeah!" the blonde remembered, bending down to the floor and picking up the discarded bouquet. "Sorry about not taking them, was a bit distracted, but... thank you."

Zack grinned down at the blushing Cloud. "No problem kiddo."

_So... darn... cute!_

"Anyway!" Zack exclaimed, wrapping his hand around Cloud's trembling one. "I'll be stealing him away from you now Nathan – you take care!"

With that, he began pulling Cloud out the door.

_Take care...?_

"And don't tell anyone what you just saw!" Cloud called back him.

_Like I really would, lover..._

Nathan shook his head, disappointed with himself.

_Can't believe I just stood there and enjoyed that..._

.

.

.

.

Reno stared impassively at his flashing mobile.

_Who the hell could be callin me?_

With the little energy and willpower he'd somehow managed to gain, the redhead stiffly reached out towards his bedside table and retrieved his noisy phone. Then, without even bothering to check the name or number, he flipped the mobile open huffily and greeted the caller with a loud grunt.

"Nice to hear your angelic voice!" was their reply.

_Zack!_

"Yo man!" Reno said, pleased to hear a familiar voice. "What's up?"

The redhead could make out another voice in the distance.

_Is he with someone?_

"Yes Cloud," he heard the Soldier whisper. "It's Reno."

_Ah, so he's with blondie tonight..._

"What did you call for, yo?" Reno grunted, staring dumbly at his blinding alarm clock. "It's like 9pm. Way past my bedtime. Best have a damn good reason for disturbing me."

Zack laughed at him. "Don't be such a baby! There's a party tonight!"

_Could swear that I just heard blondie groan..._

"Not in the mood for a party," Reno yawned, already desperate to doze back off to sleep. "Go without me, yo. I'm sure you and blondie will have fun – if ya get my drift."

Zack didn't find the joke quite so amusing. "Hilarious, buddy."

_I certainly thought so!_

"Why d'you want me to go anyway?" Reno asked, forcing himself into a sitting position. "I'm really not up for a threesome tonight, if that's what you're offering."

Cloud cut in. "Did he just say -"

"Ignore the comments," Zack sighed, desperate to keep the blonde from questioning him. "He's only saying that because he himself can't get any - Reno... you coming or not?"

Reno began massaging pounding head. "Not sure, yo."

"I can help you pick someone up?" Zack offered, knowing full well that this would convince the Turk. "You're always moaning that you won't get some. So, let's change that. It'll help you move on from... him too. I know you're desperate to get with him, but... it's a bad move."

"Yo, if I find someone else, I'll probably get bored of the guy," Reno lied, eager to satisfy his overly concerned friend.

"Good!" Zack said, taking that as acceptance. "See you later then."

"But I don't know if –"

However, it was too late to protest.

Zack had hung up on him.

"Damnit," Reno hissed, hauling himself out of the warm and comforting bed.

Did he really want to go?

Not exactly.

But...

It was better than being cooped up in his house.

Besides, it was a pretty genius idea that Zack had suggested. What if he were able to find someone else? That might make Sephiroth undeniably jealous to the point where he had to admit his feelings towards Reno! That is... If he had any feelings.

"_I don't know how to act around you."_

He still couldn't get his head round the fact that Sephiroth had said that.

Did it really mean something, though?

"Rah!" he cried, flinging himself towards his beckoning wardrobe. "What to wear?"

He needed to look good if he was going to try and pull someone!

_Mission: Make the ice king jealous!_

Start!

.

.

.

.

Zack and Cloud at long last arrived at the party entrance.

"By the way..." the blonde suddenly said, staring down at the floor with embarrassed eyes. "I've never erm, drunk properly like this before. Just so you know."

_Gaia, he's adorable._

"Don't worry!" Zack grinned, finally releasing his tight grip on the blonde. "I'll make sure that you don't get too drunk. I'll be like a doting mother – alright, Chocobo?"

Cloud didn't look amused. "Just tell me if I'm embarrassing myself, okay?"

_Or, if like me, he gets extremely horny with alcohol..._

"Shall do!" Zack said, swinging the doors open with clear anticipation. "Let's mosey!"

The pair of them strolled energetically into the crammed room, waving friendlily at familiar faces as they went. They both looked so confident together. Zack's enthusiasm was entirely genuine and came naturally. However, the blonde's attitude was slightly feigned, concealing the fact that he was extremely nervous. Although, unbeknown to him, he didn't look worried in the slightest. But... He was not used to these type of environments – would he cope with it all?

"Dara!" Zack cried, waving frantically over to a figure in the distance. "Over here!"

The woman's face immediately lit up. "Zack Fair! You came!"

_Who in Gaia's name is that?_

Zack, without warning, grasped the blonde's shaking hands and hauled him towards the smiling girl. Cloud's heart began hammering painfully against his chest. Who was this stranger?

The pair of them finally reached her.

"This is Cloud," Zack beamed, releasing the blonde's aching hands. "Cute, isn't he?"

Cloud scowled at him. "I'm not -"

"Cute?" Dara said, ultimately finishing the blonde's sentence. "I'd say he's more handsome than cute. Men shouldn't be called cute. Good job anyway, Zack Fair."

_Might actually be able to get along with this girl..._

"But Chocobo's adorable!" Zack whined, digging himself an even deeper hole.

Cloud playfully punched the Soldier. "I'll give you adorable."

With that, he stuck his tongue out at the man.

_It doesn't bother me as much as I let on..._

"Please do," Zack growled, causing Cloud's stomach to somersault once more.

"Zack!" he cried, disgusted yet, at the same time, thrilled by the man's comment. "Not in front of -"

"Me?" Dara interrupted. "Don't worry, it doesn't bother me. It's actually very cute."

_Still feel weird about it though..._

"See Chocobo?" Zack said smugly, shooting Cloud a victorious look.

The blonde pouted.

_Although I'd never admit it, I like Zack when he's cocky._

"I'm going to get a drink!" Dara declared, once again interrupting the pair's moment together. "Anyone want one?"

"Two beers," Zack said gratefully, shooting Cloud a questioning look. "If that's okay?"

The blonde shrugged. "Whatever suits you."

_Hate the taste of beer..._

Dara joyfully departed from the pair, her movements closely monitored by the curious Cloud. She seemed so happy... Almost _too_ happy. Something was off.

He forced himself to turn his attention back to Zack, worried in case the Soldier had caught him nosily observing his friend. However, much to Cloud's relief, the man had not been paying any attention and was lost in his own little world. Zack was completely zonked out... Staring directly at Cloud...

Wait a minute.

Was Zack... checking Cloud out?

The Soldier finally snapped out of it and noticed the blonde staring questioningly at him. Zack tried to shoot his eyes away and cover it up, but it was too late – the blonde had noticed. Was he really checking him out without realising it...? Did Zack really find him that gorgeous? He didn't understand it. Zack, in Cloud's eyes, could do so much better than him...

Zack noticed the blonde deep in thought. "You alright, Cloud?"

He immediately came back to life. "Yes, I'm fine!"

_Hmm..._

The Soldier took a step towards him. "Guess what, Cloud?"

"What?" the blonde gulped, his heart rate increasing as the man edged closer.

Zack pushed his body against Cloud's weaker once, backing him up until he had the guy pinned to the wall. The blonde yet out a loud yelp as he felt the strong hands of the Soldier grip his wrists, holding them firmly to his sides. Zack was staring so deeply into him... He almost had to look away from that strong gaze.

"What if someone sees?" Cloud gasped. "What if -"

Zack didn't care about that, however.

He was too distracted by the appealing man stood before him.

"Cloud..." he whispered, lowering his mouth towards the blonde's ear. "Guess what."

_I can hardly stand!_

"What?" the blonde gulped, shuddering as the Soldier breathed roughly into his ear.

"I..." Zack said hoarsely, positioning his hand on Cloud's crotch.

The blonde gasped at the sudden wave of pleasure. "Y-you..."

"Tonight," the Soldier growled, teasingly running his hand across the blonde's growing bulge. "I am going to fuck you, Cloud. Tonight."

The blonde moaned loudly at the thought.

"When I'm finished," Zack said, rolling his tongue gently across the man's ear. "You won't be able to walk. The imprint will be left in you so long, that you'll never forget."

_How could I ever forget anyway?_

"I am really going to make a mess of you, Cloud."

_Going to make a mess of me..._

"Just you wait."

.

.

.

.

_Party tonight – anyone and everyone is welcome!_

Sephiroth could not believe that he was even considering this...

He didn't do parties. They bored him.

So... why was he still staring blankly at this email, after two painful hours?

_Should be disappointed in yourself._

Was he really going to allow himself to join this ridiculous gathering?

Nobody he even knew would be going...

Well, not anyone he could actually hold a conversation with...

_Reno will likely be going._

The general shot up in his chair.

What did that matter?

Why should he care that the moronic redhead would be attending?

He didn't!

... Did he?

"Look at yourself," Sephiroth said, shaking his head at the sheer absurdity of it all. "Getting all excited over an idiotic Turk. Have your standards really stooped that low?"

The answer was yes – yes they had.

Because much to his utter and total disgust...

He couldn't get the kid out of his head...

Sephiroth leaned weakly back onto his chair and gazed up at the blank ceiling. What did this mean? Could he really have feelings for such an imbecile? Or was he just... lonely?

_He's the only person that's showed me this kind of attention in a long time..._

Perhaps he could just tease the Turk?

Test himself out? Momentarily cure this loneliness?

"_Reno is not a toy, Sephiroth!"_

He did not view him as an object... did he?

What did it matter anyway?

Who would really be able to punish him if he did accidentally hurt the Turk's feelings?

Zack?

They both knew who would win in a fight...

Although, he didn't really want to be getting into another argument with him. The Soldier was his friend... his only friend. He needed to apologise soon – not cause another riot!

That settled it.

He was going to find Reno and work out how he felt.

Without crushing the man's feelings.

_If that is possible..._

"What can I say... without ruining my pride... without giving myself away..."

**Eventful chapter!**

**Ha, poor Nathan – he wanted to join in!**

**Gawd... Zack is really raring for some action isn't he? **

**And Cloud...**

**Poor Reno... again.**

**Poor Sephiroth, I guess.**

**Part 2 to come! PLEASE REVIEW! & thank you to those who already have take the time to comment! **


	22. Party Part Two

Party – Part Two

**Things start to go wrong...**

**I'm so sorry for those who have waited! Little note at the end explaining things. I will definitely get back into writing this frequently. An extra long chapter to say sorry!**

"Dara... Where's Zack?"

Cloud had not seen his boyfriend for at least an hour.

He was concerned.

Yet equally infuriated with him.

_He promised me things!_

_Why has he just disappeared?_

The drunken girl turned unsteadily towards the blonde. "Don't k-know Cloo..u..."

Cloud shook his head disappointedly.

_How can she be wasted already?_

"W-want...Anothurr.. bee..ee.."

Cloud somehow managed to figure out what the girl was asking and politely declined.

_Don't want another beer._

"Cmon... Cmo..n.. don't juss... mope... bout Zac..."

_I'm not moping..._

"Don't really like the taste," Cloud blurted out, ultimately revealing his pathetic little secret.

Dara smirked at him. "Oh... s-so... tryin to impre...s... Z-Z...a..c.."

_How many has this girl had?_

"No, not that..." he lied, turning guiltily away from the suspicious woman. "It's just..."

Dara began giggling hysterically. "H-here! Take... ha...haave... vod-dka! Niiice!"

_Vodka?_

"But, isn't that a woman's drink?" Cloud asked confusedly, unsure whether to accept the offer or not.

"Who c-cares? Tis... love-aaly!" Dara said, thrusting the glass at the puzzled blonde.

Cloud stared interestedly down at the drink. "Won't hurt to try..."

_Definitely won't have much, anyway._

_Not after what Zack promised me..._

Cloud seized the glass from Dara's shaky hands and proceeded to take a tiny sip. The blonde had expected to grimace at the taste and thrust it back down, but this... This tasted amazing!

He brought the drink back up to his lips for another taste; but this time he gulped it down.

"T-told yoo..uu!" Dara screeched, waving crazily over at the bartender. "Yoo! A.. n-nother more.. Vokd... Vodka!"

Cloud began frantically shaking his head. "No! Honestly, no more!"

"Don't be.. S-such... Baby!" Dara whined, pouting moodily over at the shaking blonde.

_It's not that..._

"But what about Zack -"

"Pff... H-he's right," Dara interrupted, staring grumpily down at her empty glass. "Y-you... are... are... cute! Y-yeah... ado...rable..."

_Cute?_

_I am not cute!_

That did it.

"Fine," he snapped, causing a huge grin to spread across Dara's face. "Get me another."

.

.

.

.

Reno looked down at his mobile in disbelief.

_The idiot still hasn't called me?_

Zack had promised to phone the Turk at exactly 11am. However, it was now midnight and Reno still had not heard anything. How was he meant to work out where to meet the pair of them?

Maybe blondie had persuaded Zack to change his mind? After all, there's nothing worse than having someone loitering around when you're trying to seduce your boyfriend. Reno had a strong suspicion that the kid did not like him, either...

_I'll kill Zack!_

The redhead decided that he needed a smoke.

Why not?

Reno eagerly dived down into his never ending pockets and pulled out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. The Turk felt his hand brush against his phone also, but resisted the temptation to draw it out and check for any messages. He knew it would only stare blankly and cruelly back at him; so he left it untouched in his pocket.

_Maybe a smoke will cure the stress..._

The redhead impatiently lit his cigarette with shaky hands and proceeded to take in a long drag of the smoke.

_Much better..._

Calmness and serenity took Reno as his most favourite feeling in the entire world circulated his body and shook away the bad thoughts. No longer would he stress about Zack and his pitiful organisation skills – not now anyway.

_This is why I can't quit smoking..._

Reno delicately removed the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled heavily.

_Should keep my expectations low in the future..._

The redhead had gotten much too hopeful with Sephiroth and had been praying that the man would make a first move- but had he? No. Would he? Who knew... The General had certainly seemed keen when discussing the matter with Zack, but... did that really mean anything? Was the Raven-haired man right? Could Sephiroth really be using Reno as a temporary little toy?

_Fucking hope not..._

"Yo, if he is," Reno said to himself, leaning casually back on the brick wall behind him. "I am gonna end up -"

-BUZZ-

The redhead jolted up at the sudden interruption.

His phone was ringing.

_Finally!_

He flipped it open without delay. "Zack, you little prick. Where are you?"

His anger had suddenly vanished.

So much for holding a grudge against him...

"This is not he," the other individual said, startling Reno with his familiarity.

_Who is this?_

"Yo, reveal your name then," Reno said feebly, beginning to feel a little unsettled.

Why couldn't he match a face to the voice?

"Turn round."

_What...?_

Oh Gaia.

There was no doubt about it. Someone was unquestionably behind him.

Reno was a Turk after all; he could automatically sense these things.

He didn't want to turn around.

The hairs on the back of his neck had stood up in abrupt alert.

_What if it's someone bad?_

He decided to man up.

Turning slowly and reluctantly around, Reno found himself holding his breath and paying ridiculous attention to his quickening heartbeat. It was the middle of the night and he certainly wasn't correctly prepared for an ambush. Hopefully, it was just some loser from the company...

Reno let out a small yelp.

"What are you doing here?"

It was Sephiroth.

_Why now of all times?_

_Why?_

"I came to see you," the man revealed, stepping confidently towards the dumbstruck Turk.

Reno gulped. "Why?"

_What is he after?_

Sephiroth didn't answer, however.

Instead, much to the Turk's complete disgust, he threw his arms out violently towards the unsuspecting redhead and pushed him forcefully up against the wall. His victim instantly flew backwards with unbelievable force and found himself positioned up against the same wall as he had previously been leaning on. He hadn't needed to step forward... he was back in his original position.

Reno whimpered.

Sephiroth had the Turk pinned in front of him and completely at his mercy.

The redhead let out a small whine as he felt the man's grip tighten around his scrawny arms and proceed to damage them completely. The pain was excruciating.

Reno couldn't move.

_Is he trying to trap me?_

The stare that Sephiroth was giving him was too deep and too agonizing to return, so he instead converted his eyes towards the empty space beside him; scrunching his face up at the initial discomfort.

"What – are – you -"

Sephiroth quietened him; forcefully placing his hand on the redhead's widened mouth.

"Don't talk," he ordered, carefully removing his fingers from the now puckering lips. "Let me show you."

_Show me? But that'd mean..._

Reno swallowed loudly.

_He's not actually going to make a move – is he?_

Sephiroth bit his lip in anticipation.

_So, I'm really going to do it..._

But, was it really what he wanted?

.

.

.

.

Zack stomped moodily and huffily back into the main room.

_That took almost an hour!_

The soldier had only gone for a simple toilet break! Why had he been unwillingly forced to intrude in a pathetic little fight and keep the peace? Sure, he was a member of Soldier – but he had better things to do right now. Also, it was one of the only times where he could go out without worrying about work the next morning. Zack had wasted an hour of his free time...

_Get to have many hours with Cloud later though..._

Zack moaned at the thought.

Finally, he was going to have his way with the blonde.

Tonight.

"_I am going to fuck you Cloud – tonight."_

"_I'm really going to make a mess of you."_

Zack frowned at himself.

Couldn't he have put it just a little more nicely?

It didn't matter though.

Cloud seemed to have responded eagerly.

_Better than I had expected..._

The Soldier began swivelling his eyes around the overcrowded room. Where was Cloud? The blonde had assured Zack that he would meet him back at the bar when his toilet break was finished. Could he have possibly gotten fed up and gone home? Zack didn't think so.

Where was Dara then?

Zack had assumed that she would stay situated with Cloud.

_They've gotta be in here..._

Zack switched his eyes from the heaving bar towards the ridiculously crammed tables and chairs. Perhaps the pair of them had sat down? The bar was unbelievably overflowing and hectic – so it would make perfect sense.

The Soldier moved his focus from table to table, desperately hunting for his two friends.

Well, his friend and his... boyfriend.

_Got to stop calling him my 'friend.'_

There were just so many people in the room...

_So many people have turned up since I left..._

Zack turned himself round and began urgently scanning the area behind him.

_Come on... Come on..._

Then he noticed something.

Finally, after what felt like years of searching, Zack caught a glimpse of bright blonde hair, darting manically around in the background. He hoped it was Cloud... It had to be Cloud...

The Soldier began heading towards the right corner, desperate to see the blonde again and throw him the biggest apology possible. Cloud would understand, right? It wasn't that much of a big deal. Besides, they both knew that Zack would be able to make it up to him later.

_He will have forgotten about it once I'm through with him..._

He finally approached the table in the far right corner and was greeted clumsily by a drunken woman. Her face immediately lit up when she noticed Zack looming over her, wearing a troubled yet equally amused expression. There was no doubt about who this woman was.

"Dara..." he said uncertainly, glancing down at the woman with concern. "Are you drunk?"

She shook her head hysterically. "N...no..."

_Dear Gaia..._

"Where's Cloud?" he asked, panicking at the disappearance of the blonde.

Dara began giggling. "U... udder."

_What is she on about?_

"Udder?" he repeated.

The girl began waving her arms around. "N-no... U...Un..der..."

"...Under?" Zack said unsurely, glancing down at the floor beneath him. "Under where?"

"..Tab...Table...!"

Table?

Although he wasn't entirely sure what the girl was going on about, Zack decided to listen to Dara's ridiculously slurred words and reluctantly bent down.

_Cloud can't really be down here..._

Zack cautiously poked his head under the wooden table and began inspecting for the missing blonde. It was extremely dark, so he struggled to see much, but... He could definitely hear something.

Giggling.

"...Cloud?" he whispered.

_No way..._

The blonde appeared from under the table. "Z-Z...Z...Zaa..."

_Please tell me this is a joke..._

"How much have you had to drink?" Zack asked, staring down at the snickering man in astonishment.

_I only left him for an hour!_

Cloud struggled to muffle the giggles. "A...l-lot... V-vod..ka... so...nice!"

_He's wasted._

Zack turned his attention back to Dara. "Why did you let him drink so much?" he snapped, taking his high level of annoyance out on the drunken girl.

Dara simply beamed at him. "L-light...en...up."

_Can't believe this!_

Zack stared back down at Cloud, who was now attempting to struggle out of the table and failing miserably. His body didn't seem to be functioning properly... This ridiculously bad effort was making the blonde keel on the floor with laughter, which wasn't helping his mission of getting up at all.

The Soldier held out his hand for the blonde.

"We're going home," he declared, hauling up the wriggling Cloud.

Dara's face fell. "C-can't... n-not... Already..."

Zack glared at her with venomous eyes and she immediately fell silent.

_Can't believe she let him get in such a state..._

The blonde gripped tightly on the Soldier's arm. "My... h-hero!" he said dreamily.

Zack couldn't look at the kid right now.

_So much for sleeping with him..._

.

.

.

.

Reno held his breath as Sephiroth drew closer and closer.

_Yo, can't believe this..._

The General's eyes were full of excitement and anticipation.

The redhead's were full of uncertainty and shock.

_Is he really serious about all this?_

It seemed so.

Reno let out a weak noise as the General's lips finally reached his. It was a moment he had been fantasising about for ages. To begin with, he wasn't too sure if he was daydreaming again or whether this was just an overly powerful vision of his. However, Reno eventually concluded that it felt far too good to simply be conjured up in his head. This had to be real...

Sephiroth loosened the grip on Reno's arms and began to show him delicate attention. His kissing was soft, his touch was soft... It was almost as if he were kissing someone he truly cared about.

_Is this how I would have embraced Angeal?_

_Probably._

Reno dug his hands into the General's long hair and made the man temporarily forget any thoughts of his previous love. He was here with Reno now... The rest had to be forgotten.

_The Turk is actually an excellent kisser..._

Sephiroth pulled away from the redhead with the little will power he could muster and then quickly delved back into his warm mouth. However, this time he went in with his tongue, waiting anxiously for the Turk to either accept or decline this offer.

The redhead had no hesitation or doubt. With a second thought, Reno clashed his tongue violently with Sephiroth's and began desperately pulling the man further into him. The General responded gratefully and began aggressively running his hands down the redhead's shirt; hesitating at the bottom with uncertainty.

Reno pulled out of the kiss.

"Touch me," he gasped, signalling for Sephiroth to enter his blouse.

The General grinned in response.

_Turk is so worked up..._

Sephiroth skilfully slipped his hand into the redhead's shirt and began slowly feeling past every muscle in the man's body. Reno was unbelievably worked up now and moaning loudly enough for the entire street to hear. The muscles began rippling automatically at the teasing touch and tensed up tighter with every hand movement.

_This... Feels... Amazing..._

The General leaned aggressively into the Turk, practically crushing the redhead's already hardened crotch. Reno grunted loudly into Sephiroth's mouth and felt himself go weak at the sudden contact with his erection. He was so needy right now... Unable to control his actions...

_How embarrassing..._

The redhead yet again drew away from the kiss.

"W..why..." he managed to get out.

Sephiroth cocked his head at him, whilst still continuing with his hand movements.

"A-Angeal bloke... N-not your type..."

Sephiroth growled into Reno's ear. "Well, he's not coming back, is he?"

Reno immediately lost some of the sensation.

_Not the answer I was looking for..._

"Thought you l-liked muscular guys?"

Sephiroth shrugged. "I do."

"B-but... I'm not... Muscular..."

"We can get you to the gym," Sephiroth said, leaning forward to connect their lips once more.

However, Reno pulled away.

"You'd love that," Reno gnarled, shaking off the previous feeling of lust. "What, shall I get some black hair dye too? So I can be more like him?"

Sephiroth however, did not get the sarcasm and simply ignored the comment.

"Zack was right!" Reno gasped, struggling his way out of the man's strong grip. "I am just a toy to you! You want me to be like him – that's what you're using me for!"

The General was stunned to silence.

"So, you're choosing me because he's not coming back?"

_Can't believe I let him do this..._

"You want to change me so I can look more like him?"

_Such a wimp... Actually feel some tears..._

Sephiroth looked taken aback. "That's not what I -"

"Course it's not!" Reno snarled, looking up and down at the man in disgust. "Yo, you're a waste of time. Spending so long whining about that guy when you could be moving on. Won't ever be with me though, got that?"

Sephiroth's voice became weaker. "But I -"

"No!" Reno cried, preventing the man from explaining himself. "Yo, I'm leaving. Go find someone else to get some muscles and hit the gym."

_Just need to get home..._

Reno backed away from the stunned man and began holding back the tears threatening to flow out. He rarely cried, but... He felt humiliated! Used! Worthless! Why had he not listened to Zack? After all, he knew Sephiroth the most!

The redhead waited for the General to reach out, beg the Turk to stay and hear him out... But he didn't. Instead he stayed frozen, resting his eyes on the muddy floor beneath him.

He felt ashamed of himself.

He hadn't meant to say all of that...

He hadn't actually meant what he said...

Sephiroth could remember a particular comment Zack once made.

"_You've got a dark and weird sense of humour, Sephy!"_

"_You don't think before you speak – do you Seph? Sheesh!"_

Once again, he'd messed up something decent in his life...

_How do I get myself into these messes?_

Reno was out of sight now, almost certainly running down the abandoned streets, heading desperately for the comfort of his home. How would he be feeling? He was obviously hurt...

Sephiroth shook his head angrily.

_Am I really not over Angeal...?_

But what was this feeling?

Was it guilt?

No... It wasn't just that.

It was more.

The feeling you get when you crush someone you care about.

_Couldn't possibly have feelings for the Turk..._

Sephiroth knew he would never really get over Angeal.

When something like that happens...

_Wish he would just return – if only for a day..._

What would he say?

"_Sephiroth... You have no pride or honour left."_

That settled it.

He was going to leave the Turk alone.

Reno did not deserve this drama – this torment.

Only Sephiroth alone deserves that...

"Reno..."

.

.

.

.

Zack and Cloud returned home after what felt like years of walking.

The Soldier was not impressed.

_Can't believe he just forgot about what I'd promised him..._

He didn't mind so much that Cloud had got drunk.

When he first joined Shinra, he was forever going out drinking and rolling in at ridiculous hours. But... He'd never had a boyfriend waiting impatiently for him.

Cloud had been really difficult on the way home.

The comments rolling out of his mouth had been unbelievably dirty, which normally wouldn't bother Zack in the slightest. However, they'd been situated smack bang in the middle of the streets, causing a few suspicious glances to fly their way. It wasn't just the words either; Cloud had been groping Zack at every opportunity and desperately trying to kiss him.

_He has way more confidence when drunk..._

"We're home Cloud," Zack declared, frowning as the blonde struggle his way down the hall. The kid could barely walk...

The Soldier locked the door behind him and trailed behind the stumbling blonde.

"Come on," he said, wrapping his arms around the blonde's muscular frame. "Let me put you into bed – you need some sleep. The morning will not be too pleasant for you."

Cloud simply giggled and allowed himself to be hauled into the bedroom.

The Soldier kicked the door open and felt an agonizingly painful feeling flow through his body as his head went into over drive. The way Cloud was wrapped in his arms now... It was similar to the position he would have had him in if... If he'd...

Zack violently shook the thought away. It was too late now.

Sure, they had more time to do all of that stuff. But...

He was still annoyed about it.

"Here we go," Zack said, carefully lowering Cloud onto his double bed.

The blonde stared up at him. "W-here... y..you..."

"The living room," Zack said, somehow able to make out the mangled words. "I'm going to sleep on the sofa tonight."

Cloud's face dropped. "N-no! W...with me...ee..."

Zack shook his head. "Not tonight – you just get some sleep."

"W-with me..." Cloud repeated, reaching out for the worn out Soldier. "Here."

_Wait – what is he?_

Without any type of warning or signal, the blonde clutched his hands around the Soldier's tanned skin and hauled the man fiercely on top of him. Zack yelped as he felt his body crash down on top of the blonde's and undeniably crush the poor kid to death. He couldn't move his body... He had been forced in such an awkward position...

Fortunately, Cloud was too drunk to feel any real pain.

Zack turned his body round and proceeded to get up, but was stopped suddenly by an overexcited Cloud, who had climbed his way on top of the Soldier. Grinning as he did so, the blonde gripped the man's wrists and pinned them to his sides. The Soldier desperately tried to worm his way out and pull the blonde off... but just couldn't. For starters, Cloud was being far too stubborn to let him go and also... Well... He was kinda turned on.

"Cloud," Zack said sternly, staring up at the gasping blonde. "What are you doing?"

"This."

Zack went to ask what 'this' meant.

However, it didn't take him long to figure it out.

Cloud reached out impatiently towards the jeans zipper before him and forcefully tugged it down. The buttons proved more difficult than expected, especially for someone who was completely off their face. However, he somehow managed to work the jeans open and without hesitation, he slid them down towards Zack's knees.

The Soldier gulped. "Cloud, you're drunk."

The blonde giggled. "N-no..."

_Really shouldn't be letting him do this..._

Without any attempt at his usual teasing, or plain harshness – in Zack's eyes – Cloud immediately discarded the boxers before him and watched in awe as Zack's painful erection was eased out.

_Really need will power at a time like this..._

The Soldier grunted as the blonde bent down and flicked his tongue playfully over the head, clearly demonstrating that alcohol didn't necessarily affect your skills in that department.

"C-Cloud..." Zack choked, arching his back and raising his body towards Cloud's mouth.

The blonde took this as an invitation and lowered his head down to the man's weeping cock; swallowing him whole. Zack cried out as he felt the blonde immediately apply ridiculous amounts of suction to the point where the Soldier could see stars.

_Maybe the alcohol hasn't ruined this night..._

Cloud began bobbing up and down energetically... almost too energetically... it was sending Zack completely over the edge. The Soldier noticed that the blonde was really taking a lot in too, which was pretty surprising as Zack wasn't exactly small...

_Can't believe he can fit so much in..._

Zack tightened his grin on the bed sheets and felt his eyes fluttering as the feeling of it almost became too much. He felt amazing... Cloud was amazing... All the anger from before and disappointment was slowly fading away. How could he be grouchy at a time like this?

However, that feeling soon faded.

As much to Zack's disapproval, Cloud pulled away.

"What's wrong?" Zack panted, staring at Cloud with hazy eyes.

The blonde turned white. "Z-Z... Don't... C-can't... T-too far..."

_What?_

"T-took... in...t...too much... throat..."

Zack was confused.

Not for long, though.

"Z-Zack... G...gonna..."

With the final warning sent out, Cloud bent over the side of the double bed and heaved manically down towards the carpet. It took the Soldier a few seconds to realise what was actually going on.

_Oh shit!_

It only took two heaves for Cloud to be releasing his body contents all over Zack's clean carpet. The amount seemed never ending, pouring out of the blonde's mouth as if he were a tap. The unpleasant smell circulated the room and caused Zack to scrunch up his face in disgust.

He should have helped him.

He should have pulled his blonde locks out of his face.

However, he couldn't.

_This is actually turning out to be the worst night ever._

Instead, he lay back stiffly onto his comforting bed and urged his hardened erection to go down. It wasn't too difficult... The heaving noises and sounds of sick colliding in the floor weren't exactly pleasurable...

_Cloud oh Cloud – how could you do all this to me?_

Gradually, the noises became quieter and quieter, until Zack was sure that the blonde had finally stopped being sick. Just to be certain, the Soldier pulled his body back up into a sitting position and glanced over at the blonde.

Who was now...

... Asleep.

_Oh please, no._

Snoring soundly, face covered in sick.

_He's going to REALLY have to make this up to me..._

Although he really didn't want too, Zack told himself that he had to clean up all of this mess and try and fix his destroyed bedroom. He couldn't leave Cloud drowning in his own sick either, so he would have to sort that out too.

_So much for making a mess of Cloud..._

_Kid's managed to make a mess of himself without my help._

.

.

.

.

Reno gazed drearily out of his bedroom window.

If only he'd listened to Zack...

If only Zack would have called him...

He hurt all over.

The redhead would have preferred rejection to that.

To be someone's sloppy seconds...

He decided that was the worst feeling in the world.

"You need to sleep," he said to himself.

However, he already knew that would be impossible.

"Sephiroth..." he whispered, still gazing bleakly out of the huge window.

_Just need to forget all this._

"What's going on in that head of yours...?"

**Such a LONG chapter.**

**My head hurts...**

**It's 5am... And light outside.**

**As I said, I'm sorry for the long wait. I had final exams – then prom – then college induction days – fell ill, etc.**

**It seems I made everyone miserable in this chapter...**

**Oh dear.**

**What's going to happen? Even I don't know o.o**

**Please review! PLEAAASE.**

**It urges me to write more and powers me on **


	23. The Morning After

1

1

Awakening

**The morning after...**

Cloud woke up with the biggest headache in history.

_So much pain..._

He honestly couldn't remember a thing from the night before.

_What happened last night?_

An image of Dara came screaming into his puzzled mind; but that was all.

_What about Zack?_

Cloud could definitely remember the promise that the Soldier had made to him.

"_I'm going to fuck you Cloud."_

Had he kept that promise?

"_Tonight."_

The blonde certainly didn't feel as if he had.

_Moron – how are you supposed to feel whether you've had sex or not?_

That was a good question.

_I guess I'd be in a lot of pain..._

_That's what I've heard anyway…_

That settled it.

The two of them had definitely not had sex.

_But... why?_

What had changed Zack's mind?

What had caused this?

_Why did I get so drunk?_

Cloud couldn't even recall drinking that much...

Why would he?

When he had Zack waiting impatiently to haul him into bed and...

And...

_Make a mess of me._

He didn't get it.

None of this made any sense whatsoever.

.

.

.

.

The kettle was boiled – the bath had finished running – the cleaning was over.

Zack breathed out a sigh of relief.

_Finally..._

Now he could at last have a much deserved bath.

Whilst drinking his billionth coffee of the morning.

_Hopefully get the smell of sick off of me..._

Zack peeled off his sweat soaked clothing from the previous night and stretched out his stiff muscles. It felt so good to finally be able to take a break and actually relax. The poor Soldier had spent all morning washing Cloud's vomit drenched clothes and cleaning his ridiculously messy bedroom. Zack did not take pleasure in cleaning, either. Come to think of it – he hardly ever cleared anything up or tidied anything way.

_Why would I? Takes soo much time..._

Now he was completely naked and the water was finally at the right height.

_Can't wait for this!_

Zack slowly and carefully raised his left foot and dipped it into the warm water.

He hadn't expected it to be scolding...

Yelping as he did so, he immediately pulled out his throbbing foot, cursing at himself for being so foolish. Why hadn't he checked the water? That was usually the first thing he did...

_Maybe it's just my feet being cold?_

Zack felt pathetic.

_You're a soldier! You fight monsters! But you can't take hot water?_

That did it.

Ignoring the obvious pain it caused, Zack threw his foot back into the water and forced himself to accept the temperature. It was far too warm – it burned. He was unconsciously biting his lip as an automatic response to the pain. He wouldn't stop now, though.

_Shit – it hurts – no – don't think like that._

Zack reluctantly lifted up his right foot and placed it firmly next to the left one.

The agony was even more unbearable this time; tears were springing to the Soldier's mako-infused eyes. However, he still refused to give up and without a second thought or consideration; Zack pulled his weight down onto his muscular arms and quickly lowered himself into the bath.

_Gaia!_

He quickly looked down to check his body.

Luckily, it hadn't begun sizzling off or melting.

_I guess it's a tiny bit better now my entire bodies in._

Zack let out a small laugh – amused at just how difficult that mission had been.

_Wimp!_

It felt good now, though. _Really _good...

"Gaia, that makes my muscles feel amazing..."

Zack slowly lent his relaxed body back and found himself lying in the overfilled bath.

_Excellent remedy..._

All of the stress from the previous night was slowly flowing away... His annoyance at Cloud... His disappointment with the broken promise... The only thing really bugging him was how tired he seemed to be; almost dozing off every now and again. It was a dangerous place to be – a bath – when you were as worn out as he was. Zack ignored the risk, though.

_Can't climb into bed – Cloud's sleeping._

_Don't want to sleep on the sofa – really uncomfortable._

His best bet was definitely the bath.

Although, sleep would have undoubtedly benefited him.

_Can't stop my thoughts from going into over drive._

He had so many unanswered questions.

Why had Dara let Cloud get in such a state?

Why had Cloud allowed himself to drink so much?

Was he not that bothered about sleeping with Zack?

Did he have doubts about it?

Did he have doubts about...Zack?

They were all questions he was dying to ask; but simply couldn't...

He was too afraid of the answer.

What if Cloud admitted to having second thoughts? What then? Zack would rather live a lie and pretend that everything was fine... He couldn't lose the blonde... Not already – not now.

_Did I do something wrong?_

Zack didn't think so...

_Maybe he was just –_

"Z...Zack?"

The Soldier jumped up in surprise at the sudden interruption.

Cloud had appeared in the bathroom doorway; looking hungover and fed up.

_Weird how he appears as soon as I start questioning these things..._

"Yes, Cloud?" he replied coolly, desperate to seem as calm and casual as possible.

_Can't let him know it affected me that much..._

The blonde eyes suddenly widened.

Cloud had only just noticed the fact that Zack was lay in front of him, completely and utterly naked. He had never seen him completely bare before... The Soldier was definitely something to look at. Cloud almost drooled...

"Stare all you want kiddo," Zack laughed, throwing his arms behind his head to lean on. "Take a picture too, if you want?"

Cloud giggled nervously. "Sorry... I just didn't..."

"Expect it?" Zack finished, glancing up and down at the ill looking blonde.

_Really looks rough..._

Why was he feeling sympathy towards him?

_It's his own fault!_

Cloud nodded. "Yeah... I... You..."

Relief flowed through the previously fearful Soldier.

_With this reaction, it certainly doesn't seem like he wants to finish with me..._

"Um... Well... Can..." Cloud mumbled, staring embarrassedly down at the bathroom tiles.

Zack cocked his head. "Can you what, Chocobo?"

Cloud blushed violently.

"Can I... Err... Join you...?"

_Oh._

Zack certainly hadn't been expecting that.

The Soldier grinned at the blonde. "Certainly, kiddo."

_How could I refuse an offer like that?_

Cloud walked timidly into the centre of the bathroom; fiddling nervously with his shirt buttons. He looked unbelievably awkward - no – shy was definitely the best word.

"I'm not gonna bite," Zack said softly, staring interestedly up at the fidgeting blonde.

Cloud swallowed loudly. "I know... It's just... I'm self conscious."

_Why would a kid who looks like him be self conscious?_

"Excuse me," Zack said a little more seriously, frowning at his moping boyfriend. "Are you trying to say I would date something that looked bad in the nude? Is that what you're saying?"

Cloud took his annoyance seriously. "N-no... I just..."

Zack held up his hand. "Only joking kiddo – now strip."

_Why am I being so nice to him?_

_I should be lecturing him about last night!_

The Soldier felt disappointed in himself.

_Will have to talk to him about it when he gets in the bath..._

_...Naked._

Cloud began removing his shirt buttons with trembling hands, barely able to undo any one of them. He'd never been naked in front of anyone before... Not like this.

_But in the bathroom._

The blonde immediately blushed at the memory.

_Yeah, but I wasn't paying attention to my body..._

Zack was staring at him now; ready to take in every inch of the man's appearance.

The blonde went to speak, but was beaten to it.

"Tell me Cloud," Zack said sternly, finally plucking up the courage to interrogate the blonde. "Do you remember anything that happened last night?"

The blonde violently shook his head - and then regretted it - sensing the familiar feeling of nausea creep up his body.

_Hate hangovers..._

"Well I do," Zack scowled, unnerving the blonde with his venomous tone. "I told you that I wanted to have sex with you last night, Cloud. However, I went for a quick toilet break and when I came back you were sprawled under a table, giggling at me."

_I don't remember any of that...!_

"Then we returned home," Zack continued. "You pounced on me and proceeded to devour my cock. But my release was interrupted by something."

_I sucked him off?_

Zack fell dead silent, waiting for the blonde to ask the dreaded question.

_I feel kind of good, punishing him for all this._

Cloud turned away from the interrogating glare. "What was t-that then?"

"You puked."

_Oh Gaia, no..._

"All over my floor."

_Tell me he's joking..._

"Halfway through the act."

_Was I really that drunk?_

Obviously he was.

"Zack..." Cloud whispered, finally able to relook him back in the eyes. "I honestly don't remember drinking that much... At all. I can remember Dara handing me one vodka – then the rest is a blur."

_Why can't I remember anything?_

The Soldier's grimace immediately softened.

He looked more concerned than angry.

"You don't remember the second drink?" he croaked, unsure how to take this strange revelation.

"Nope, not at all..."

_Could that possibly mean...?_

"So you didn't drink much?" Zack asked confusedly, holding back on his growing assumptions.

Cloud looked offended. "Why would I? When you said... When you said..."

"_I'm going to make a mess of you Cloud."_

"_Just you wait."_

"Oh Gaia..." Zack said quietly, ashamed at himself for reacting so selfishly.

Cloud was confused. "What's wrong?"

"I think..." Zack said, throwing a sympathetic look towards the blonde. "Someone might have possibly drugged your drink. It tends to happen a lot down there."

_Drug my drink?_

"Tell me something - did Dara buy the drink right away? From the bar?"

_I don't think so..._

"I'm pretty sure she picked it off the table and handed it me..."

_It all makes sense now._

Zack sighed loudly. "That settles it. Someone drugged your drink – pricks."

The Soldier was baring his teeth now, frightening Cloud with his enraged reaction.

"I'm sorry..." Cloud said, bowing his head ashamedly to the floor. "I shouldn't have accepted it."

Zack looked up at the boy in disbelief. "Why are you saying sorry? It's not your fault!"

_So... Darn... Cute..._

Cloud's face brightened up a little. "So, you're not mad at me anymore?"

"Hell no!" Zack cried, playfully splashing some water at the blonde. "It's all over and done with now."

The blonde smiled. "Good."

_How could I ever stay mad at him?_

"Anyway," Zack said, pointing at the blonde's clothes in obvious disapproval. "Why are they still on?"

Cloud immediately began re-fumbling with the buttons.

Zack laughed. "Hey, stop a minute kiddo. You'll break the shirt."

The blonde stopped through sheer military instinct and dropped his arms firmly down to his sides.

"Yessir!" he said jokingly, resisting the temptation to salute the Soldier.

_How did I get so lucky?_

Wincing as he did so, Zack hauled himself slowly out of the beautifully warm bath and embraced the cold air around him. He hissed painfully at the temperature change and was very tempted to dive back into the water and never get out.

Cloud was more important, though.

_Get to see a completely naked Cloud – hurrah!_

Zack finally stepped out of the warm bath and childishly began shaking some of the water out of his soaking hair. The blonde laughed at the man's actions and resisted the urge to make an obvious joke.

_Looks so much like a puppy... Almost like he's shaking the water off his fur..._

The Soldier finally finished his dramatic hair flipping and slowly began approaching the blonde. Cloud's heartbeat instantly raced as his excitement and anticipation began reaching ridiculous levels. He always felt this way with Zack... It was an automatic response.

Zack was at last stood in front of him, wearing the smuggest expression the blonde had ever seen.

_Looks like he's going to eat me up..._

"Looks like you need some help," Zack growled, diving straight into the blonde's shirt and impatiently undoing the buttons. Cloud tried to giggle at the man's obvious eagerness, but was unable to release any sort of noise. He was too nervous... Too wound up...

"There we go," Zack grinned; pulling the shirt carefully down Cloud's toned arms.

_Amazing body..._

The Soldier ran a hand down the blonde's defined stomach, causing the already worked up Cloud to release an unusually deep groan. The lustful response from the blonde made Zack only the more desperate to strip the blonde of any clothing and –

_Wait..._

_We're only sharing a bath..._

Zack had gotten a little too caught up in the moment...

_Or..._

Grinning to himself as he did so, Zack reached out for the blonde's zipper and began impatiently tugging it down. He had a great idea... One that would cure any pain from the previous night...

"I-I'm sorry..." Cloud stuttered, staring embarrassedly down at his crotch as the Soldier tugged at his jeans. "I'm... I'm really..."

Zack's eyes were rested on the same area.

_Hard?_

"I'm sorry," Cloud choked, humiliated by his bodies automatic response.

Zack drew his mouth to the blonde's ear. "No need to be," he said huskily, pulling the blonde's pants down to his ankles. "Why would this cause a problem?"

Cloud shuddered at the man's rough tone. "I-I... Don't k-know..."

"Exactly," Zack said, bending down to the blonde's ankles whilst pulling down his boxers.

_Hello again._

Cloud moaned as his painfully hard erection was released.

Such relief...

Zack leant his body forward towards Cloud's solid member and lightly flicked the head.

"Ungh..." Cloud grunted, staring lustfully down at the man between his legs. "T-tease..."

Zack grinned. "I know."

_So easy to get him worked up..._

Deciding to leave the hardened area – for now – Zack straightened his knees back up and raised himself back towards Cloud's face. The blonde's eyes looked so hazed... Almost as if he was too lost in the moment... Unable to control his body...

Zack positioned his mouth back towards his ear. "Cloud..."

The blonde moaned weakly. "Y-yes...?"

"How about we skip the bath?"

_I have a much better idea..._

"A-And do what?" Cloud asked, although he already knew the answer.

Zack was prepared for the question.

"Fuck."

Cloud felt his knees go weak.

"Mhmph..."

"We can make up for last night," Zack growled, wrapping his hand around the blonde's twitching cock. "No interruptions this time."

_My body's going numb..._

"I'm going to make you feel amazing."

_I can't wait..._

"B-best hangover cure ever..." Cloud stuttered, still unable to control his speech.

Zack grinned.

"Certainly is."

_My first time..._

Cloud felt equally nervous and excited.

"Let's go then," Zack said, grabbing the blonde's hips and hauling him out the bathroom. "Cloud."

The blonde didn't need to ask where they were going.

He already knew.

_Where else would we go?_

His assumptions were confirmed as Zack swung open the bedroom door and pulled the blonde delicately towards him.

"You sure about this?" he asked softly, toning down his earlier animalistic ways.

Cloud nodded. "Yeah... Definitely."

_I'm going to lose it..._

"I'm glad you said that."

...

_To Zack Fair!_

**Well there you have it :P**

**This chapter was fun to write.**

**The next chapter will be even better to write though ;)**

**Cloud's hangover vanished quickly o.o**

**My bad.**

**Please review! It makes me so happy and makes the work I put into this seem all the more worth it.**

**Thank you to those who already have reviewed. I really appreciate it ^_-**


	24. Fulfilling

Fulfilling

**Sorry it took so long!**

**;)**

"Are you sure you want this?" Zack purred, staring longingly down at the man underneath him.

The Soldier was desperate for the blonde to say yes.

_Don't think I can hold back right now..._

He was too wound up... Too overexcited...

"Ngh..."

Cloud couldn't even bring himself to speak properly.

_Please hurry up..._

Zack grinned down at the fidgeting man and hungrily licked his lips.

"I'm glad you said that."

_I'm going to make you feel amazing..._

The Soldier bent down towards the blonde's ear and lustfully whispered to him.

"Cloud?"

"Ngh..."

"How much do you want this?"

_How do I answer that?_

"S-so much..." Cloud gasped, throwing his head back as the Soldier lightly nibbled his ear.

Zack felt himself growing insanely hard. "I don't think that's a good enough answer."

_I'm going to make you beg for this..._

The blonde whimpered as the Soldier lightly brushed his hand against his weeping head.

"T-tease..."

Zack snickered. "That's not the answer I was looking for."

_He's so easily worked up..._

"Please... Zack..." Cloud panted, tightening his grip on the bed sheets. "N-need th...this..."

_That won't do it._

Resisting the urge to chuckle; Zack swiftly removed his teeth from the blonde's reddened ear and lightly began planting kisses down the blonde's neck. Cloud moaned at the sudden level of attention and flew his hands into the man's gel-filled hair. The blonde's strong grip was almost painful.

"L-Lower..." Cloud pleaded, forcefully pushing the man's head down his body.

_You're not getting it that easily..._

Zack pushed up against the desperate blonde and found himself staring directly at Cloud's hardened nipple.

_Bingo._

Now that was an area he didn't mind pay attention too.

Grinning as he did so; Zack lowered himself towards the solid bud and teasingly flicked it with his tongue. The unexpected motion sent satisfied moans falling from Cloud's widened mouth, which only powered Zack on further.

_Gaia..._

The Soldier wrapped his teeth around the hardened area and gently tugged at it; pulling it carefully upwards as the blonde grew breathless.

"Unph... S-so good...K-keep..."

Zack hummed in response.

_Haven't even started yet..._

Without warning, Zack swiftly released the solid bud, which forcefully snapped back into place.

_Oh yeah..._

Cloud moaned at the loss of contact.

_He's really getting reared up now..._

Zack's skilful hands began travelling further and further down the man's body; stroking his thigh... feeling rounds his abs... Purposely ignoring the one area that Cloud was desperate for him to pay attention to.

"T-touch... It... P-please..."

Cloud could barely speak...

Instead of obeying the man, as he found himself desperately wanting to do, Zack wrapped his hands round the blonde's wriggling thighs and slowly began planting kisses down his body.

_Such a perfect build..._

Zack moaned at the thought of what he would soon be doing.

_He's never going to forget this..._

Cloud began whimpering as the man grew closer and closer towards his hardened area.

He was beyond desperate for Zack to get himself between his legs...

and... and...

_Wait._

"Why have you stopped?" Cloud snapped, glaring weakly down at the smiling man.

Zack lightly kissed the crown of blonde hair before him. "Have you forgotten my question?"

Cloud grunted and threw his head back.

"I'm guessing that's a yes," Zack sighed, positioning himself directly in front of the throbbing member.

_Oh yes..._

It was a delicious sight.

"Li... Lick it... Z-z... Z-zaa..."

Zack had almost lost his train of thought.

"As you wish."

Just as Cloud had ordered; Zack lowered himself down towards the twitching cock and swiftly took it in his mouth.

_Yummy._

Cloud immediately threw his hands back into Zack's hair and forcefully pulled him further down; almost succeeding in choking the man.

"F-feels.. S-so good..."

Zack groaned loudly as he began using his tongue; lightly swirling round the throbbing veins and hardened skin. The reaction he was getting was phenomenal... He'd only just taken it in!

The Soldier stared up from his current position and locked eyes with the panting Cloud. The blonde gazed back down at him with hazy and lust-filled eyes; biting his lip as the pleasure became too much for him to handle. He was already close to release...

"Z-Za... Za..."

Zack hummed in response; which only caused Cloud to get further wound up.

The blonde whimpered as he felt the familiar sensation begin to start up.

"G-gonna... C... Can't... Z-Za..."

_It gets better every time..._

Cloud couldn't wait for the feeling...

He was looking forward to release.

But he never got that pleasure.

Because Zack pulled out.

"W-what are you -?"

"I asked you a question," Zack repeated, staring at the blonde with an amused expression. "Answer it."

Cloud could barely remember the question in the current circumstance...

"P-please... Zack..."

"Answer it."

_What was the question...?_

"How much do you want this?" Zack growled, bending down to lightly kiss the weeping head.

"Mhmph..."

Zack grinned at the blonde. "That's not a valid answer."

_I know I'm being cruel, but..._

"A lot."

_That's not enough._

"More than anything."

_Still not quite there._

"Zack please – just take me!"

_Oh my –_

That did it.

Zack felt no more need to tease.

"There we go," Zack grunted, pointing demandingly at the bedroom drawer. "Open it."

Cloud turned confusingly to the drawer.

_What's in there?_

He didn't feel the need to ask, though.

Obeying the Soldier; Cloud dived his hand into the top drawer and clumsily began hunting for the item in question.

Or... items in this case.

"Lube..." Zack gasped, urging his animalistic mind to calm itself down. "Condoms..."

_Please hurry up..._

Zack was finding it difficult to hold back.

All he wanted to do was plunge straight into the man and drive him till no end...

He shuddered at the thought.

"Ugh... Cloud... H-hurry..."

_Gaia..._

He had never wanted anyone this much in his life.

_I'm so going to enjoy this..._

Cloud finally retrieved the two items and shakily handed them to Zack.

The Soldier impatiently ripped open the condom packet and handed the blonde the bottle of lube.

"Hold that please," he said a little more softly.

Zack didn't want to ruin Cloud's first sexual experience...

He had to make it special for him.

He couldn't let his dirty mind get in the way.

Cloud wouldn't want –

"W-why are you taking so long? Hurry!"

Zack's mouth drooped at the frowning blonde, who had suddenly seemed to gain a little more confidence and sternness out of the blue.

_So much for MY dirty minded getting in the way!_

Zack groaned.

_That's so hot..._

"As you wish, sir," Zack said huskily, slowly rolling the condom down his solid cock.

Cloud gaped at the procedure and immediately lost his new found confidence.

"I-it's huge," he gasped, blushing violently at his own statement.

Zack resisted the urge to laugh. "Yes it is."

_So adorable..._

Cloud's face flashed with nervousness.

"Don't worry," Zack whispered, bending down towards the blonde's trembling lips. "This is going to feel fucking brilliant."

_For the both of us..._

That was enough for the blonde.

The sudden flash of worry Cloud had felt seemed to completely disappear as he grabbed the back of Zack's head and pulled him forcefully down towards his mouth.

_Can't believe a tiny bit of making out is getting me this worked up..._

Cloud hungrily kissed the breathless man before him and groaned as both their tongues clashed together. He couldn't breathe... He couldn't think... All train of thought had gone.

_S-so... ready for this..._

Zack groaned as the blonde pulled him in deeper and deeper and proceeded to eliminate any possible space between them. Cloud was nibbling – sucking – licking. The blonde was never this forward...

_I could get use to this side of him..._

The Soldier positioned himself so their packages were lined together; both so incredibly hard that the feeling became painful as well as arousing. Zack could see that Cloud's cock was ready to burst; pounding desperately underneath his own solid area.

_I can't wait... To make him... Blow..._

Zack grabbed tightly onto Cloud's side and ground violently against the blonde. The sensation sent the man into frenzy and without any warning, he grunted against Zack's gasping mouth.

_Holy Gaia..._

Every noise Cloud released sent Zack crazy...

"Cloud," Zack gasped, finally pulling out of the blonde's tingling mouth. "Are you ready?"

_Cause I sure as hell am..._

He'd never wanted anyone or anything this much...

Cloud shot him a ravenous look. "Do I look like I need more time?"

_Ugh..._

Zack grunted.

"Remind me to have sex with you often," he grinned, running his hand cautiously around Cloud's tightened entrance. "I like this side of you."

Cloud pouted at him.

"No use," Zack laughed. "That's a sexy look too."

_Everything he does is sexy..._

"The lube," Zack said, holding two fingers out towards the blonde. "Put it on me."

Cloud's swallowed loudly at the command.

_He must be getting nervous again._

"Don't worry," Zack smiled, watching carefully as Cloud spread it over his fingers. "I'll be gentle."

The blonde loosened up slightly. "You sure?"

"I'm sure."

Cloud finally stopped with the lube. "Is that enough?"

_I think you've put on half the bottle, sunshine..._

"That's perfect," Zack said, sending his two fingers back down towards their correct destination. "And don't worry. It'll hurt at first – but it gets better."

_Trust me._

"Much better."

Cloud impatiently thrust his body upwards, inviting Zack to proceed with his mission.

"I know... I'm ready now."

_Ugh, baby..._

Zack slowly approached Cloud's tight entrance and gazed longingly down at the blonde.

_I'm going to be his first..._

_I'm going to be the one to take this moment..._

"Cloud..."

It was far too early to say love.

"I'm crazy about you."

_More than crazy..._

Cloud smiled up at him.

"Me too."

_How did I get so lucky?_

With that, Zack gently pushed into Cloud's entrance and watched carefully as the blonde reacted to the new invasion. Cloud hissed to begin with, feeling the initial pain circulate his body, before holding his hand up to the concerned Zack.

"It's okay... K-keep going..."

_The pleasure eventually discards the pain..._

Zack smiled comfortingly at the blushing blonde and cautiously pushed his finger in the whole way through; loving the feeling of the warmth and tightness wrapping around him. It felt even more amazing than he'd imagined...

_Imagine how that's going to feel around your cock..._

Zack shivered.

Even the thought of it caused his stomach to clench with excitement.

_Going... to fuck Cloud..._

Zack analysed the blonde as he slid his finger in and out of the entrance; making sure not to be too rough or too fast with him. It was so hard for him not to just ram in as quickly as possible and give into his growing needs...

But he had to be delicate.

Cloud's eyes were fluttering with the sensation; opening and closing at the finger grew quicker and quicker. His mouth was wide open and his hands were tightly gripping the bed sheets.

"F-feels... S-so... G... Good..."

Zack moaned at the boy's response and found himself desperate to add the second finger.

_He's so tight though..._

"C-cmon Z-za..."

Zack quickened up the pace.

"S-second..."

_Thank Gaia..._

The Soldier followed the boy's orders and slowly slid in a second finger. Cloud momentarily bit his lip as an automatic response to the pain; before giving into the pleasure filling his body.

"S-shit... Z-za..."

The Soldier clenched his spare hand in agony as the urge to plunge himself deep into the boy without boundaries began slowly taking over his head.

_You're a terrible person. You know that?_

Cloud's constant moans and breathless whispers of Zack's name were causing his stomach to somersault...

"Ugh... Baby... You have no idea what you're doing to me."

_No idea at all..._

Zack cried out as the blonde thrust against his hand without warning; displaying to the Soldier that yes, he did in fact know exactly what he was doing to him.

_Unph..._

Zack leaned forward towards Cloud's open mouth and swiftly wrapped his lips around it. It was his tactic to try and distract the blonde as he slowly began some new movements...

"Mhmph..."

Cloud moaned deeply into Zack's mouth as the Soldier's began scissoring inside of him; brushing past areas that send the blonde into frenzy.

The noises escaping Cloud's mouth were almost too much...

He couldn't hold back much longer...

_I can't keep –_

"Shit!"

Zack froze momentarily as the blonde breathlessly cried out.

The Soldier panicked.

_Have I hurt him?_

"N-no..." Cloud gasped, gazing at the Soldier with lustful eyes. "That was a g-good cry. You hit a spot with your h-hands... Really f-felt good..."

_Hit a spot with my hands?_

Oh...

Zack realised.

_I must have curled my fingers automatically and hit his weak spot._

"You like that feeling?" he growled, bending down to nibble at Cloud's lip.

The blonde threw his head back "D-do it again!"

_Oh I will..._

"With pleasure," Zack grunted, positioning himself back on top of the blonde. "But it'll be a little different next time."

Cloud's face fell. "D-different... Wh... Why..."

Zack licked his lips at the blonde. "Cause it'll be better."

Cloud shuddered.

"There's a lot of difference between the sizes of the two body parts I'll be using."

_Already knew that..._

"Imagine that feeling," Zack said, running his hand teasingly down Cloud's abs. "But a thousand times better."

_For both of us..._

"Ugh..."

_I knew you'd be happy._

Zack had expected Cloud to react that way.

However, he didn't expect what was coming next.

"Fuck me, Zack."

_What?_

Had Cloud really said that?

"Please... I'm begging you."

He couldn't believe it.

"I'm ready for it."

Holy Gaia...

Cloud threw his hand down towards Zack's pulsing member and tightly wrapped his hand around it.

"Holy shi -"

"I'm ready for it," Cloud repeated innocently, staring at Zack with wide and animated eyes.

_Oh my..._

Zack shook his head. "And you call me the tease."

Cloud blushed at that.

_He's so adorable..._

"Sunshine," Zack said, staring amusedly down at the hand on his cock. "If that's on there – how am I going to be able to get it inside of you? I don't think it's possible to do both."

The blonde spluttered in response and immediately moved his hand.

"That's what I thought."

_Bless him..._

"Now," Zack said softly, leaning over to retrieve the lube. "In what position would you prefer me to do this?"

Cloud blushed. "P-position?"

"Yes."

Cloud shuffled awkwardly. "W-well... I want to be able to see you... So –"

"Good," Zack said, interrupting the blonde midsentence. "I want to see your face when you release."

Cloud groaned.

_I want to be able to see every expression..._

Zack delicately lifted up Cloud's toned legs and placed them up by his shoulders.

_I like him in this position..._

"That not uncomfortable?" he asked, running his hand teasingly down Cloud's thigh.

The blonde shook his head.

"Good."

Zack applied the remainder of the lube onto his fingers and threw the empty bottle carelessly to the side.

"F-fingers again?" Cloud croaked, sounding almost a little disappointed.

Zack chuckled. "I'm just making sure it's easy to go in."

The blonde looked embarrassed. "O-oh... Okay."

_He's growing impatient..._

The Soldier repositioned his fingers before Cloud's entrance.

_-Going to be inside him soon-_

This time however, he was starting with two fingers; using a slightly less delicate motion.

"Ready?"

Cloud nodded frantically.

_Good._

Needing no more confirmation; Zack pushed his two fingers into Cloud's tight ring and slowly separated the two of them out. The blonde was already much looser than before. It was a lot easier to slide himself in this time. Cloud hadn't winced at the discomfort, either.

_I think he's ready..._

The Soldier shuddered at the thought.

_I'm certainly ready..._

Zack swiftly pulled out of the entrance and carefully positioned his cock before it.

_Must resist the urge to ask him if he's sure about this..._

Zack stared down at the blonde one more time and then began the procedure.

Closing his eyes as he did so; Zack grasped his hands tightly around Cloud's hips and carefully thrust himself in - making sure to stop directly at the head.

_Can't be hurting him..._

Cloud hissed at the sudden invasion; clutching the bed sheets as a sharp pain shot up his body.

Thankfully, it didn't last long though.

"K-keep going."

Zack did just that.

The Soldier slowly began pushing his entire cock in; resisting the urge to plunge straight in and have himself consumed entirely by Cloud.

"Ugh..."

Zack finally had himself seated inside the blonde; stopping momentarily to absorb the fantastic feeling. This felt amazing... No – more than amazing. _Wonderful._

The warmness and tightness around his member was amazing. All the nerves in his cock were being shown attention at the same time; reacting mentally to the new surroundings.

_He's so tight..._

Zack had done this before.

But never had anyone been this tight...

_Never has anyone been Cloud, either..._

"Ugh..."

Zack was in bliss.

He almost forgot where he was.

However, Cloud had not.

He was very alert and very impatient.

"Hurry up!" he ordered, desperate to re-experience the feeling from earlier.

Zack snapped back to life.

"As you wish," he grinned.

The Soldier pulled himself entirely out of the blonde, groaning at the sudden loss of pleasure, before plunging himself straight back in.

"Fuck, Zack!"

The pain had completely vanished, and now the only thing greeting the blonde was pleasure.

_Wow..._

Cloud threw his head back forcefully at the Soldier began driving into him; angling himself so that he hit that same spot with every thrust.

He could barely see...

He was struggling to breathe...

"S-shit Z-za..."

Cloud would not be lasting long...

"F-faster... P-please..."

Zack groaned at the command and immediately began quickening his pace; slamming himself in with no control and no limitations. His hands were gripped tightly on Cloud's thighs; which were now being pushed forcefully against him by the wound up blonde.

He no longer needed to be cautious...

The sound of flesh hitting together was echoing throughout the room. It was a sound Zack revelled in. He loved it; almost as much as he loved the sound of Cloud's groans.

"Z-Zack... w... won't be...l-long..."

Cloud was whimpering now; frantically tossing his head as the pleasure became too much to handle. Zack was good... almost too good.

The blonde began breathlessly crying out Zack's name; slowly loosing self control as the familiar feeling crept up his body.

_Love him saying my name..._

Zack could feel his release soon too... It wouldn't be long...

He was finding it difficult to concentrate on what he was doing; desperate to feel his sweet release.

"Z-Zack!"

Cloud plunged himself forward; desperately trying to match Zack's thrusts with his own. It was difficult to do so; but they managed to get some sort of rhythm going.

The blonde's face was scrunched up with pleasure; his cheeks glowing bright red with passion.

That face was driving Zack crazy...

"W-wont... C-can't..."

The Soldier grunted in response at the blonde's broken whimper and wrapped his hand around the blonde's throbbing cock. He was almost ready to burst... Zack could feel it...

Cloud gasped as the Soldier began driving his cock with his hand; pausing every so often to flick the weeping head with his thumb.

The combination of the two actions was sending him over the edge...

"I-I'm gonna... C-can't... Gghh..."

Zack began drilling himself harder and harder into Cloud; making sure to hit the perfect spot with every thrust. He could feel himself ready to blow too...

"S-so m-much... s-sor..."

The Soldier was pumping Cloud so quickly now – matching the hand movements to his thrusts.

Cloud was tightening around him...

He was about to release...

The sensation of Cloud wrapping around his cock was slowly making Zack dizzy...

"C-cloud..."

He could feel himself about to blow.

"S-shit... Z-Zack!"

Zack felt the cock in his hand spasm one last time and knew Cloud was ready. The blonde let out a final cry of Zack's name before firing his load all over the Soldier's tanned chest.

The hole around Zack tightened even further, and the Soldier found himself also losing control.

Taking one last plunge into Cloud; Zack threw his head back with unbelievable force and let out a deafening sound of approval as his release took him.

_F-Fuck..._

The blonde was gasping uncontrollably; unable to fully process what was happening to him. The feeling was almost too much... He could barely programme the pleasure... His breathing was ill-sounding and ridiculously quick; displaying just how much the he had enjoyed himself.

Zack lowered his head as the last of his release flowed out of him. "Ugh... baby."

_That... felt... unbelievable._

He stared down at the panting blonde; loving just how flustered the man looked.

It was the perfect moment.

Cloud's cheeks were flushed with both passion and embarrassment.

"It sprayed all over you..." he croaked.

Zack chuckled. "It's fine. As long as you enjoyed yourself."

With that, he bent down to softly kiss the man.

_Don't want this moment to end..._

Cloud pulled away from the kiss. "It was good for you too... r-right?"

Zack shook his head at him. "Are you insane?"

Normally, Cloud would have either pouted at the man or gone in a strop.

However, he was far too relaxed to put up a fight.

He felt far too good to care...

"Did you not hear me?" Zack snorted, gently brushing a piece of blonde hair behind Cloud's ear. "I was going mental. That... was amazing. Honestly."

Cloud smiled up at him. "I'm glad."

_Here comes the worst bit..._

Zack slowly pulled himself out of the blonde and muttered a word of apology as Cloud hissed in discomfort.

_That feels weird..._

"So we'll definitely be doing that again?" Zack asked, although he already knew the answer.

Cloud shot him a 'duh' expression. "Of course!"

"Good."

_I could never get bored of that..._

"You're all sticky Zack," Cloud frowned. "Want me to get a tissue?"

Zack shook his head. "Nu-uh. I've got a better idea."

Cloud tilted his head. "Explain?"

_Although it'll be stone cold..._

"We can go and finish that bath we were supposed to have?"

Cloud nodded in approval. "Definitely."

"Because _someone _distracted me from it," Zack said, pulling his tongue out at the blonde.

"Hey!" Cloud whined, playfully hitting the laughing Soldier. "You were the one who started this."

Zack turned to him with a serious expression. "Do you wish I hadn't?"

_What a ridiculous question._

"Don't be stupid."

_Felt amazing..._

He'd lost his virginity to Zack Fair.

And he'd be doing the same thing again, in time...

With the guy who was 'crazy' about him.

_Lost it to Zack Fair..._

Cloud still couldn't quite believe it.

_And boy am I glad I did..._

**Boy, oh boy.**

**Did not expect it to be that long...**

**I guess I owe it to people, seeing as I took FOREVER to update - my bad.**

**How was it?**

**I don't really like it...**

**Anyway PLEASE review and give me feedback! I'd LOVE it xx**


	25. Jealousy

Jealousy 

**Cloud gets a little paranoid :3**

Cloud Strife woke up to the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes on.

It was the best greeting imaginable.

_I could never get bored of this..._

The blonde had opened his sky-like eyes and immediately noticed a naked figure lay soundly beside him.

_I'm waking up next to Zack Fair..._

_A completely nude Zack Fair..._

The Soldier had clearly been fidgeting in his sleep; almost all of the cover had slid off his body and left absolutely everything on show. Cloud definitely wasn't complaining, though. The man's body was perfect... His stomach... His arm muscles... His tan... His...

_...Package._

The blonde shuddered.

Zack's 'package' had been inside of him last night...

They'd had sex...

_It won't sink in properly._

Although Cloud definitely didn't regret what had happened between them; he still found it difficult to get his head around the fact that he was no longer a virgin. They had both taken their relationship to the next level and destroyed any existing boundaries there once had been.

Zack had seen a side of the blonde that no other before him had...

Cloud felt vulnerable.

He was now completely and utterly at the Soldier's mercy. The previous night confirmed that statement. However, Cloud didn't mind that fact at all– not even a tiny bit. There was not a single other person on the planet that he'd rather be with. Cloud trusted Zack entirely.

_Not even Tifa..._

It was crazy...

Cloud had always been 100% sure that he'd love Tifa, no matter what... but now...

He was in love with a man.

His best friend.

It sure felt weird – but amazing nonetheless.

_Doesn't feel as wrong as I feared it might do..._

Cloud felt amazing.

Completely on top of the world.

_Don't want this feeling to end..._

However, there was one thing wrong.

Something which bothered the blonde very much indeed.

_Zack's grip is too loose..._

The Soldier had his muscular arms weakly wrapped around Cloud's frame; holding him in somewhat of an embrace. However, Zack's grip had clearly loosened throughout the night and the blonde could hardly feel the man's warmth and closeness. Cloud did not like that.

_Wanna be closer..._

Making sure to be extra careful and extra cautious; Cloud shuffled himself slowly towards the snoring Zack and attempted to make the space between them non-existent.

His heart began hammering each time he edged closer and closer. Cloud really didn't want to wake Zack up... It was unfair...

_Almost there..._

It was going surprisingly well...

_Don't wake up now..._

Cloud finally reached his destination and pressed his body needily against the Soldier's. Zack was warm – very warm – and the blonde revelled in that feeling.

_Finally can hug him..._

The blonde cursed at himself mentally.

_Cuddle with him? No wonder Zack calls you cute!_

"Urgh..."

The blonde clasped his hands around his mouth and waited anxiously to see whether the Zack would awaken from the interruption. Cloud hadn't meant to say that out loud... Damnit!

It didn't look like he was going to wake up.

However, looks can be deceiving at times – because the Soldier did wake up.

_Well done idiot!_

The Soldier painfully opened his tired eyes and stared hazily at the man before him.

Zack normally loathed being woken up and would attempt to murder whoever dared disturb his precious sleep. But not this time...

_I'm lying in bed with Cloud..._

The Soldier felt butterflies soar up his body.

He felt like a little kid again.

Zack drew his hands up towards his mako-infused eyes and rubbed them roughly until the pain was gone. His eyes-sight was blurry... It was always was in the morning.

But he wanted to see Cloud.

The Soldier tightened his grip around the blonde's toned waist and drew the man in even tighter. Cloud moaned in approval at the sudden move and wrapped his legs around Zack's body – clinging to him like a child.

_Bless him..._

"Morning beautiful," Zack whispered, running his hand delicately through the blonde spikes.

Cloud smiled sweetly at him. "Morning."

_What could ever ruin this moment?_

"Did you sleep well?" Zack asked, staring deeply into the blue eyes before him.

Cloud nodded. "Really well, actually."

"Are you in any pain at all from last yesterday?"

Zack had to ask.

_It normally tends to ache afterwards..._

Cloud blushed violently and tore his eyes away from the Soldier's.

_Embarrassed..._

"Kinda," he admitted.

_But it doesn't bother me..._

Zack chuckled slightly to himself and forced the blonde to look at him once more.

"It doesn't bother me kiddo. Want some tablets or something?"

Cloud shot him a grateful look. "Yes please."

_He makes me feel so comfortable... Even at times like this..._

The Soldier drew the small remainder of bed sheet off of his already exposed body and went to haul himself out of the bed. Tablets were in the kitchen... Unfortunately.

However, he was unable to do get up.

"Cloud," he said softly, frowning as the man tightened his grip. "Let me go get you some tablets."

The blonde pouted at him. "But I want you to stay here a little longer! Please – I can wait."

_He's adorable..._

Zack admitted defeated and lay himself back down next to the needy blonde.

"We have to be getting up soon anyway," he pointed out, causing the blonde to sulk once more. "Works in a few hours."

Cloud grimaced at the thought. "But I just want to stay in bed all day..."

Zack chuckled. "Me too – but we've got lives to save and nasties to kill!"

_Although compared to the thought of lying here..._

The blonde giggled at the man's enthusiasm. "Why don't you sleep with your job instead?"

"Ooh!" Zack gasped, playfully smacking him across the head. "That was a bit harsh, Chocobo!"

Cloud poked his tongue out at him. "Well you seem crazier about your job."

"Crazier about my job?" Zack snorted, roughly pulling the blonde in for a kiss. "Don't be insane. Besides – how would I ever be able to do what _we_ did last night to my job?

Cloud blushed at the reminder.

"Don't be embarrassed!" Zack said. "You can't afford to be embarrassed, because trust me we'll be doing that _a lot. _The more I see you blush – the more embarrassing I'll make it for you!"

The blonde flew his hands up to his burning cheeks – urging them to cool down.

_I wish I was as confident about all this as Zack..._

"Anyway!" Zack exclaimed, shooting himself abruptly out of the bed. "I have no idea how long you take to get ready. So – we need to test it out now! Better to be early than late, right?"

Cloud groaned at the idea and threw his head into the pillow.

The disapproval in his voice was clear – even through his muffles.

"Don't. Wanna. Get. Up... Come. Back. In."

_Oh it's so very tempting to!_

"Cmon Cloudy," Zack said, folding his arms in a powerful manner. "I'll get my way whatever it takes."

The blonde finally looked up from the pillow. "Yeah but I will – oh..."

Zack titled his head in confusion. "What's up?"

_I think he's ogling at me..._

"Just... You... Naked... Kinda nice..."

Zack snorted. "Kind of nice? You kidding? I've got the hottest ass in Shinra!"

Cloud finally sat himself up. "The best body? Don't be so cocky!"

_Should I say it? Yes I should._

"You were very cocky last night kiddo – very much full of cock indeed..."

The blonde reddened in response. "Stop it! Not again!"

_So easy to get him started!_

"Fine!" Zack sighed, holding his hand out for the stressed blonde. "If you come with me, I'll make sure not to tease or embarrass you."

Cloud stared sternly down at the hand before him. "What else is in it for me?"

_Can he afford to be stubborn?_

"I'll make you a deal," Zack said. "If you take my hand in the next few seconds we can _share _a shower. I'll wash all the dirtiness from last night off of you – okay?"

Cloud choked at the final sentence. "You said you wouldn't embarrass me anymore!"

But nevertheless, he still grabbed Zack's hand.

_Washing together again..._

"I think this whole sharing showers and baths is going to become a habit..."

Zack snickered at the comment. "Not with how much you stink the bathroom out!"

"Hey!"

.

.

.

"Which meal pack would you like sir?"

Reno stared disapprovingly down at the food before him and shook his head at the woman.

"None," he sighed, staring apologetically down at his grumbling stomach.

The lady went to state her opinion – but decided against it.

_He is looking so skinny..._

"Yo, what are you doing in a canteen anyway?" Reno asked, grinning playfully at the concerned woman. "Far too pretty to be deserving shit – kno what I mean?"

The woman looked bashful. "Thank you... But I'm really not –"

"Hey!" Reno interrupted, ultimately preventing the woman from voicing her opinion. "You're easily the hottest thing in Shinra – and don't you forget it!"

She giggled nervously at him. "Thank you!"

_Of course I'm lying..._

"No problem, yo!"

_This girl's just average... Just another pawn... Many others like her..._

_Caked in make-up... Wearing that fake smile..._

_That's not what I want..._

_What I want is..._

"I'm sorry," the woman stuttered, snatching the empty tray away from the Turk. "But I have to ask you to exit the queue. There are many other people behind you."

Reno held his hand up. "No problem, yo. Sorry for the complication."

_I thought flirting with some random chick would help..._

_But it doesn't..._

_Fake romance isn't what I want..._

The Turk exhaled heavily.

Why couldn't he get over this?

There was no way in hell he would allow himself to fall madly in love with Sephiroth.

The man had hurt him.

So why did he still want him? Why did it still hurt?

_Hurts like a fuckin bitch..._

Reno gazed around the overcrowded room and hunted desperately for an empty-ish table.

He really didn't feel like socializing.

_Just want some time to think..._

_Although all I've been fucking doing is thinking..._

He at last rested his eyes on a slightly deserted spot and made his way towards the destination; making sure to grab an apple from the food counter on the way.

It was just for appearances. He didn't want anyone thinking he was intentionally starving himself.

_Wish I could eat, yo..._

Reno parked himself on the painfully uncomfortable seat and drew his body in towards the table. Hopefully no one would come and talk to him... Hopefully...

"Reno, buddy!"

Life isn't always so kind, though.

_Brilliant..._

Reno glanced up from the empty space before him and locked eyes with an approaching Soldier.

At least it was someone he could deal with.

"Zack," he said, sounding neither thrilled nor disappointed. "How ya doin?"

The Soldier seated himself opposite Reno. "Amazing – you?"

_Should I lie?_

"Not too peachy," Reno admitted, deciding it best to be truthful.

Zack's face immediately darkened. "Why, what's up?"

_Reno isn't acting like himself..._

The Turk decided to dodge the question. "Yo, why didn't you call me the other night?"

_I've been meaning to ask._

"Oh, buddy..." Zack laughed, shaking his head at the confused redhead. "You've no idea."

"Yo, explain then?"

_Couldn't have been any worse than my night..._

The Soldier decided to tell the whole story.

"We got to the party and met up with a friend of mine. I left her and Cloud alone whilst I went to the bathroom but a huge fight kicked off and me being Soldier, I had to deal with it. Took forever – so I was preoccupied with that. But then when I finally returned, I found the pair of them completely off their faces and unable to stand."

Zack frowned at the memory. "Cloud was hiding under the table – giggling to himself."

_I know it wasn't his fault exactly, but..._

Reno was unable to hold back the laughter.

"Yo, unlucky you!"

_Feels good to finally fuckin smile..._

Zack scowled at him. "No – not lucky me! I wanted to, y'know..."

The Turk stared at him blankly.

"I want to... take things further..."

_Have sex with him you fool!_

Reno finally caught on. "Oh! Unlucky for you! Yo, that's painful."

_At least someone else had a bad night..._

"What happened with you?"

Reno's heart sank at the question.

_Should I tell him?_

"Sephiroth found me," he sighed, gazing sadly out into the mess of people. "Yo, I should have listened to you. The asshole tried to use me – ya kno? I wasn't having it though."

Zack's bared his teeth. "So the asshole tried to mess with you? Toy with your feelings?"

Reno nodded. "Yeah – that about sums it up..."

_After I warned him!_

_After I told Sephiroth not to!_

"That settles it!" Zack cried, throwing his arms enthusiastically into the air. "I'm setting you up!"

Reno was confused. "Come again?"

"We're going to go out," Zack explained. "Tonight. We are going to go out – get drunk – find you a man!"

The Turk groaned.

"Or woman – whatever floats your boat..."

Reno scrunched up his face. "Don't you judge me Soldier-boy – you're the fag here!"

Zack chuckled. "I'm not judging – I'm just not presuming either. So... what do you say?"

_I guess it's not that much of a bad idea..._

"I say let's do it!" Reno yelled, suddenly seeming a lot happier. "You get your spiky ass to mine at ten!"

Zack beamed at him. "Excellent!"

_I'm glad he's smiling again..._

Relief flowed through the Turk as the familiar feeling of joyfulness flowed through him. He didn't mean to sound emo-ish or depressed but, the last few days had really been rough on him.

Reno wouldn't be down for much longer though.

_Not now king Fair's come up with a genius plan!_

The Turk smiled happily to himself and swivelled his eyes contently around the buzzing room. This was the perfect opportunity... Sephiroth would be so pissed when he found out Reno had moved on so easily!

The redhead's eyes darted anxiously across the room; checking to see whether the General had typically entered the room at that point. Unlikely – but not impossible.

Fortunately, he hadn't - and Reno was greeted only by unaware Shinra members.

Well, not just that...

He was unexpectedly greeted by a harsh glare too.

_Eh...?_

Reno locked his eyes onto the figure across the room.

_What an evil look, yo..._

"What the -"

There was no need to get confused, though.

The redhead was able to recognise him.

_That's blondie!_

"What's the problem?" Zack asked, diverting his attention to the corner of the room. "What are you – Oh...That's Cloud!"

_No shit it is..._

"Hey, Cloud!" Zack cried, unaware that the blonde had already noticed him. "Over here!"

The man forged a look of surprise and immediately ran over to the pair of them.

_Oh wonderful..._

"How's your day been?" Zack asked as the blonde placed himself carefully beside him.

"Not bad really – yours?"

Zack's eyes flashed at the question. "Brilliant."

_Wait a minute..._

Reno noticed the look in their eyes.

"Yo, what happened between you two?" Reno smirked, winking playfully at the reddened Zack. "Or do I really not need to ask? Did you finally get some nookie Zack?"

The Soldier kicked him under the table.

"Ow! Yo, no need to be so violent!"

Zack threw him a "Yes-there-really-was," look.

"Anyway..." Reno sighed, bending down slightly to nurse his throbbing foot. "Is nine o clock alright for you?"

Cloud's face showed obvious signs of panic. "N-nine o clock?"

"Yeah," Zack replied casually, unaware of the blonde's obvious suspicion. "We're going out."

"W-where?" he choked, desperately trying to hold back his annoyance.

Reno butted in. "Out to get pissed and find some people to sex up!"

_That's gonna kill blondie..._

"S-sex up?"

"Reno," Zack snarled, un-amused by the man's obvious teasing. "Don't make jokes like that."

The Turk shrugged. "Yo, gotta amuse myself somehow."

_Don't be so defensive, spikey._

"We're going out to find Reno someone," Zack sighed, throwing the blonde an apologetic look. "Hopefully the person he's desperate to get over will realise what he threw away and pay for all he's done."

Cloud went to nod at the explanation, but immediately stopped himself.

_I'm not meant to know!_

He corrected himself an instead threw the pair of them a confused look.

"Long story," Reno simply said.

_I bet it is... Still really confuses me..._

"Well, I'll be at yours at nine," Zack said, waiting for the redhead to confirm the plans.

Reno nodded in approval. "Yup – sounds good to me yo."

_Finally, a good night out..._

"Let's hope I find someone," the redhead grinned, drawing his hand out towards the Soldier's stunned face. "Unless I ever find a way to get you to want me back. Honestly Zack, how long will it take for you to realise that I'm the man you really want?"

Zack shot daggers at him – urging him to stop.

However, the Turk decided to ignore him and continued with his joke. "Who knows – maybe it'll be me sleeping with you tonight lover. What do you say? Yo, what about a threesome? I'm game. Or maybe we could just -"

-THUMP-

Cloud smashed his hand against the table.

The other two jolted up.

_Did he just punch the table?_

"C-can I..." Cloud hissed, staring angrily down at his clenched fist. "Come t-too... Zack?"

Reno was stunned to silence.

_Didn't know the kid would get so mad about it..._

"S-sure," Zack choked, completely taken aback by the blonde's response. "Was going to ask you anyway, Chocobo..."

The blonde immediately lost some of his anger. "Y-you were?"

"Well, obviously..."

_Oh..._

Now he felt humiliated.

"S-sorry..."

"What for?" Zack laughed, playfully ruffling up the blonde's hair. "Nothing to be sorry about!"

The Soldier still didn't connect the reaction jealousy...

However, the redhead knew full well why the man had reacted in such a way.

"Well, see you there then," Reno said, intentionally staring directly at Cloud. "Yo, don't be late or I'll kick your ass!"

Cloud glowered back at him.

_I hate him..._

_Why does Zack have a friend like that?_

"Like to see you try!" Zack grinned, poking his tongue teasingly out at the Turk.

Cloud stiffened.

_Are they... flirting?_

Reno simply winked at the man. "We'll see."

_Certainly seems like he's flirting..._

"See ya blondie!"

_I'm going to keep my eye on him..._

"Yeah," Cloud said coldly, refusing to return the politeness. "Cool."

_I won't let him take what's mine!_

The blonde froze at his own words.

_Take what's mine...?_

_Listen to me!_

_I sound so defensive and needy..._

Cloud stared up at the Soldier.

_What are you doing to me – Zack Fair?_

**Not a lot really happens in this chapter... my bad.**

**I like writing jealous Cloud :D**

**Is Reno really flirting or is he messing around?**

**What'll happen when they go out and get insanely drunk?**

**We'll see...**

**Please review! It's the most amazing feeling in the word when you get feedback! xx**


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